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Michael Vaughan has lauded Jamie Smith for scoring his maiden Test century in the ongoing first Test between England and Sri Lanka. The former captain expects the wicketkeeper-batter to score more hundreds in the longest format.
Smith scored 111 runs off 148 deliveries as England posted 358 in their first innings in Manchester on Friday, August 23. Sri Lanka ended Day 3 on 204/6, with a lead of 82 runs.
Reviewing the third day's play on BBC Test Match Special, Vaughan noted that Smith is a welcome addition to the England lineup and opined that the 24-year-old would score more Test hundreds.
"Good day for England, starting with Jamie Smith, he is a fine player. To get his debut Test hundred here, he got close against the West Indies at Edgbaston, but England have really picked a fantastic player. He will be delighted. He has got his first Test match century. It certainly isn't going to be his last," he said.
The former England player praised Smith for his destructive ability while batting with the lower order.
"I think the debate is going to be in the space of a few months or so is that is Jamie Smith batting too low. He is such a good player but England have got this powerhouse of a batting lineup. They want someone at seven who can damage if he is having to bat with the tail, and he has certainly got the skill set to do so," Vaughan elaborated.
Smith walked out to bat when England were reduced to 125/4 at the fall of Joe Root's wicket. He stitched together crucial partnerships with Harry Brook, Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson before being the eighth player to be dismissed.
"I always look at balance" - Michael Vaughan praises Jamie Smith's defense
While acknowledging that Sri Lanka and the West Indies don't have the most potent bowling attacks, Michael Vaughan praised Jamie Smith's defensive technique.
"Alright, the Sri Lankan and West Indian attack is not in the premier league of Test match attacks at the minute. Obviously some tours away from home will challenge him more. But first and foremost, I always look at balance - can you defend, can you survive and can you play the best ball a bowler can bowl in a real calm fashion? He can do that," he observed in the same discussion.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Surrey player can shift gears easily and seemed comfortable against spin as well.
"He has got a beautiful forward defense. He uses his feet nicely and he has obviously got that game to go up in the gears and attack. He has got such power. His driving through the off-side is pure driving. Against spin, (Prabath) Jayasuriya bowled beautifully but it's not the spin that you get in India and sometimes Sri Lanka or Bangladesh but it looks like he can play spin nicely," Vaughan stated.
Smith has amassed 318 runs at an average of 63.60 in five Test innings. Apart from the hundred against Sri Lanka, he scored two half-centuries against the West Indies, including a 95-run knock in the final Test in Birmingham.
