Smith will be 'world-class for long period' - Bell

Jamie Smith will beryllium a “world-class subordinate complete a agelong play of time”, according to erstwhile England world and Sri Lanka batting coach Ian Bell.

Smith, 24, made his maiden Test period connected nan 3rd time of England’s bid opener against nan Sri Lankans astatine Emirates Old Trafford.

Bell, who played 118 Tests, has worked pinch Smith for England Lions and Hundred broadside Birmingham Phoenix.

“The mini portion that I played successful his development, I've watched a feline who's worked highly hard,” said Bell.

“I'm judge he's going to beryllium a monolithic portion of this England squad successful each formats complete a agelong time.”

Surrey’s Smith was fixed nan gloves by England up of region team-mate Ben Foakes and Yorkshire's Jonny Bairstow for nan bid against West Indies earlier this summer.

He missed retired connected a maiden period successful nan 3rd Test against nan Windies, making 95 astatine Edgbaston, but made nary correction pinch 111 successful Manchester connected Friday.

Overall, he is only nan 3rd England subordinate to person 3 scores successful excess of 70 successful their first 5 Test innings and his 318 runs aft 5 knocks is nan second-most of immoderate wicketkeeper successful nan history of Test cricket.

And 42-year-old Bell, whose 7,727 runs has him ninth connected nan all-time database of England Test batters, said he was “not astatine all” amazed by nan commencement Smith has made successful nan highest level of nan game.

“He's going to beryllium a world-class subordinate for England complete a agelong play of time,” said nan erstwhile Warwickshire man. “He's confident, and he's taken to world cricket pinch ease.”

Smith’s sound helped England to 358 successful their first innings, an advantage of 122 runs. When their top-order batting failed, Sri Lanka were successful threat of being beaten wrong 3 days earlier nan visitors rallied to 204-6, albeit only starring by 82.

Smith’s ceremony connected reaching 3 figures was debased key, but he later said of his “pride” complete nan achievement.

“I astir apt didn't show it, but inwardly I was evidently very happy,” said Smith. “That's conscionable maine arsenic a person. I don't want to show excessively overmuch emotion, it's each inward and it's chiefly astir nan occupation to do for nan team.

“Once you scope nan moment, you tin bask that 30 seconds, but past it's backmost onto what nan squad requires.”

Smith was initially selected to bat astatine number 7 and has now recovered himself astatine number six arsenic England screen for injured skipper Ben Stokes.

He has spent astir of his first-class profession successful nan apical six for Surrey and erstwhile skipper Michael Vaughan said England now person a “lovely headache” complete wherever to bat Smith successful nan future.

“The only mobility to travel is whether Smith is batting excessively low,” Vaughan told Test Match Special. “England person specified a powerhouse line-up, they want personification astatine 7 who tin bat pinch nan tail and he's surely sewage nan skillset for that.

"I respect his fierce strokeplay, but mostly I respect his defence. If you've sewage that, if you tin nullify nan champion balls and play straight, you tin bat anyplace you want successful nan order.”