Jamie Smith admitted he left last winter’s Ashes with a “big technical issue” but is feeling back to his old self again after top-scoring for England in tough circumstances at Lord’s.
Smith suffered the first major setback of his international career during the failed assignment Down Under, making some high-profile errors as wicketkeeper while averaging a disappointing 23.44 from 10 innings in the series.
His travails were summed up in the final Test at Sydney, where a horror shot saw him dismissed by a dreadful delivery from part-time medium-pacer Marnus Labuschagne.
But the 26-year-old has held his place in a turbulent summer and repaid some of that faith with a knock of 61 as England scrambled to 248 for nine on day one of the second Rothesay Test against Pakistan.
On another day they might have been rounded up for much less in heavily bowler-friendly conditions but Smith’s contribution, allied to an impressive 55 from Jordan Cox and Gus Atkinson’s handy 34 not out, kept the hosts competitive.
Smith offered an admirably honest assessment of his own game, explaining: “After Australia I felt there was a big technical issue that sort of happened over a period of time. I was getting quite blocked off.
“I think I was open with that and moving into the start of the season with Surrey it was quite a big thing for me to work that out.
“I guess I’ve felt a little bit out of rhythm, we started the summer here at Lord’s on an interesting wicket, I missed the second Test (on paternity leave) and I felt a bit disjointed.
“There were just a lot of moving parts and when you don’t necessarily feel in the best rhythm it can be hard to keep up that volume of work that keeps you in a great place. It’s a nice little confidence boost today to put some runs on the board.”
Smith credited the England setup for their extended show of belief and also welcomed the arrival of Michael Yardy in the backroom team, after he was brought in to assist caretaker coach Marcus Trescothick.
“There’s been a lot of confidence from the England side, I think that’s been one thing that’s never wavered. The backing and belief that they give you really does make a big difference when you’re not feeling the greatest out there,” he said.
“It definitely helps pick you up when things aren’t going great. Just in the last couple of days, it’s been good working with Michael Yardy, who’s come in as sort of interim batting coach. He’s someone I spent time with when I was young in the under-19s. He was the coach for them and he’s a West Ham supporter as well so we seem to get on quite nicely. It’s nice to bounce some different things and ideas off with him. Hopefully they’ve worked a little bit and can continue to for the next couple of innings as well.”
Incoming head coach Stephen Fleming, who begins work next month, has already made an informal approach to Australian Mike Hussey about a possible role as batting mentor though there has been a reported counter-offer from his home country.
Smith’s seal of approval may bode well for Yardy should England bolster their backroom team as they move to a split coaching regime, with Brendon McCullum retaining the reins of the white-ball side.
