Jamie Smith wants to use the Hundred to reignite his England white-ball career – and plans to ensure his Test average heads back in the right direction after a difficult few months in which both his batting and his wicketkeeping have been under scrutiny.
Smith has not played any limited-overs international cricket since struggling in New Zealand before the Ashes, while he has averaged just 21 in Tests since his stunning double of 184 not out and 88 against India at Edgbaston in July 2025.
But he regards his move to Southern Brave, his third Hundred franchise in three years, as a chance both for a fresh start and to impress England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum, sacked as Test coach but in the pink after T20 and ODI series wins over India.
‘My goals have always been to play three formats for England,’ Smith tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘I’ve had a little taste of it, and the Hundred is always a great opportunity to go out and do well against some of the best players in the world and use it as a springboard.’
Smith has played only five T20s, mainly because England have a settled and destructive opening pair in Phil Salt and Jos Buttler. But his 19 ODIs have produced just three fifties and an average of 21.
‘It just wasn’t consistent enough,’ he says. ‘I had a couple of decent enough innings, but didn’t make them count. I can’t complain with the opportunity I was given. It’s trying to learn from that.’
Jamie Smith endured a difficult Ashes Down Under last winter, in a series he admits was ‘disheartening’
But the wicketkeeper is intent on repaying England’s faith in him, and rediscovering his best form
But his main goal, ahead of next month’s three-match series against Pakistan, is to repay the selectors’ faith after they moved him above Ben Stokes up to No 6 in the Test side against New Zealand.
He describes his series as ‘disjointed’, having made a crucial 39 in a low-scoring first Test at Lord’s before missing the second at the Oval because of paternity leave. In the decider at Trent Bridge, his well-paced second-innings 60 came too late to save England as the Bazball era ended in smoke and flames. But he appreciated his promotion.
‘It was a confidence-booster, especially after a disappointing Ashes,’ he says. ‘I felt like every time I was walking out to the middle, I was seeing my average drop. When you’re not playing well, it’s quite disheartening.
‘That’s something I’d be looking to improve on, trying to push that up as much as possible. There’s no reason why I can’t go to No 6 and have success. I know it’d be a good effort to go back to the standards I set at the start. But if I can go a little bit further towards pushing it back in the right direction, that’d be nice.’
Smith, whose average has slipped from 58 after that Edgbaston Test to just under 40, faced criticism during the Ashes for his demeanour behind the stumps, especially from former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who felt he was too quiet.
‘I understand people’s opinions,’ says Smith. ‘You want to do the best you can, but I think the thing for me is trying to put my own stamp on it. I don’t think I’d be changing too much.’
It’s why he has parked the captaincy ambitions he once harboured at Surrey. ‘I wouldn’t say it necessarily is for me – not with my personality. I’m very relaxed and enjoy the way things are going now, and playing off other people. I’m happy to play the supporting role.’
Smith says he will miss McCullum’s Test coaching after feeling supported by him on his entry to the team two years ago, but has enjoyed working closely with the former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor at a time when every mistake behind the stumps is accompanied by social-media cries of ‘Ben Foakes wouldn’t have dropped that’.
‘Sarah’s been fantastic,’ he says. ‘She brings a lot of energy to the group, not just for me, and she’s always willing to work at things and chat them through.
‘It’s disappointing when you drop a couple of catches and the same sort of things crop up about your keeping.
‘But I felt like overall I was keeping a lot better. It’s frustrating that they’re the things that get brought up.’
‘She’s been fantastic,’ says Smith of Sarah Taylor (pictured). ‘She brings a lot of energy to the group, not just for me, and she’s always willing to work at things and chat them through’
Smith showed immense promise in the early stages of his international career – now it’s time to build on it
The pressure grew against New Zealand, whose own wicketkeeper, Tom Blundell, provided a masterclass in standing up to the stumps, keeping Harry Brook and Joe Root tethered to the crease.
Once England had left out Ollie Robinson after Lord’s, their bowlers were generally too quick for Smith to mirror the tactics. He says it felt ‘out of my comfort zone’, but adds: ‘It’s definitely something we’ll be working on.’
Smith has just turned 26, but has already established himself as one of the cleanest strikers in the English game. His international strike-rates are all formidable: 73 in Tests, 112 in ODIs and 194 in T20s. If he can get his other numbers heading in the right direction, there may be no stopping him.
