OW Jamie Smith scores his maiden Test century

In August 2024, Old Whitgiftian (OW) Jamie Smith reached a significant milestone in his cricket career by scoring his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka. At just 23 years old, Jamie made history as the youngest wicketkeeper-batter to achieve this feat in Test matches. His remarkable achievement has brought immense pride to the Whitgift community.

Jamie’s passion and dedication to cricket led him to represent England at various youth levels before earning his Test debut. Notably, Jamie became the fifth OW to represent England in cricket, a proud moment for both him and the school. Since then, Jamie has continued to impress on the international stage, and his century against Sri Lanka is a testament to his skill and composure under pressure.

Jamie’s innings of 111 in the first innings were instrumental in England’s success, and he was rightfully named Player of the Match. In the second innings, Jamie contributed to a vital fifth-wicket stand of 64 with 39 more runs. Alongside his batting prowess, Jamie also displayed his usual sharpness behind the stumps, further solidifying his reputation as one of England’s most promising young cricketers.

Mr Kendrick (Head of Performance Cricket) commented "Jamie was our 1st XI captain in 2018 having joined the school as a ten year old. He always displayed a mature understanding of the game and his development. We are all very proud of the person and the cricketer he has become and being able to provide the environment for him to flourish."

Whitgift is incredibly proud of Jamie Smith and the exemplary role model he has become for current students, and we look forward to watching his career flourish in the years to come.