Taking each game as it comes: Linsey Smith

It's never too late to make a comeback. This is exactly what we learn from the trajectory of Linsey Smith's cricketing career. The left-arm spinner, who turned 29 this year, made her international debut in the T20 World Cup 2018 in West Indies at the age of 24. 

Smith has seen a lot of ups and downs in her sporting career. In 2019, she lost her contract and a place in the England side, and a lot changed for her after that period. From working her way in domestic cricket and impressing for Southern Vipers in The Hundred to representing Sydney Sixers in WBBL 2023 and making it to the England A squad, she has grown by leaps and bounds. Her progress in recent years didn't go unnoticed as England finally picked her up for the T20 World Cup 2024. 

There is heavy competiton in the current English squad when it comes to spinners, with the likes of Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn having cemented their spot in the team. But that hasn't stopped Smith from showing what she's truly made of. In England's opening Group B fixture against Bangladesh, she picked two wickets, conceding just 11 runs as England cruised comfortably towards victory.

Before the T20 World Cup 2024, Smith spoke to Women's CricZone, discussing her comeback to the side, T20 World Cup expectations, her cricketing journey and more.

Q: Hi, Linsey. Welcome to the show! Just first start by asking how the preparation has been in UAE?

Hi, thanks for having me. Yeah, it's been pretty good. We've been in Abu Dhabi now for about 10 days, having a little preparation camp there, which has been good and fun. Yeah, just getting out as a group again and getting used to the conditions has been good.

Q: So just let me start by talking about the excitement of getting to this day and the T20 World Cup. So how was that feeling?

Yeah, it was great, obviously, really exciting. Didn't really know if I'd get the chance to play in the T20 World Cup for England again. So, six years down the line, it's, yeah, I'm really excited to hopefully do some really cool things.

Q: You talked about playing in the T20 World Cup before. You made your debut in the 2018 T20 World Cup in West Indies. So how was that feeling of making a debut at that age, at the age of 23, and directly in the T20 World Cup?

I think it was very different. Obviously, I was quite young back then and hadn't played a whole lot of cricket at a high level. So, it was good. But I think I'm in a much better place now with both my cricket and mentally to, hopefully put in some good performances and help the team.

Q: And in that T20 World Cup, England really came close. England were in the finals and went down against the eventual champions Australia. So how was the whole campaign?

It was good and fun. Obviously, the West Indies is a really cool place to tour. And like I said, being young, I debuted with Sophia Dunkley and Kirstie Gordon at the time, who were two very close friends of mine. It was a good experience and obviously, sad not to get over the line in the final, but hopefully we can put that right this year.

Q: You talked about Kirstie Gordon. Let me talk about another left-arm spinner in the England side, Sophie Ecclestone. What is it like playing alongside her?

It's great. Obviously, I've played with her quite a bit, to be honest. She's such a talent. And although she's younger than me, she's got so much experience, and I really lean on her for advice. She's just really good to chat to, especially in the training camp we've had in Abu Dhabi over the last 10 days, just to work alongside her and share ideas. It's been really fun. She's an incredible player, so hopefully her form continues.

Q: Yeah, you just talked about the camp in Abu Dhabi. How has this preparation been for England as well as individually for you?

Really good. Obviously, before it was moved from Bangladesh, we were always going to go to Abu Dhabi and have this preparation camp. I think it's been a bit of a blessing that the World Cup's actually been moved to Dubai, so that's helped us a little bit. In terms of getting the girls back together and doing some really specific training and getting used to conditions, it's been really good for us.

Q: Let's talk about England's chances. England have a really good team and have come really close in the last few editions. But it's also true that either Australia or West Indies have won each time. How do you look at England's chances this time considering England have a strong side?

I think we know that we're a good team, and we've got some really, really good individuals in the squad. We're not trying to get too carried away and not looking too far ahead. Just taking each game as it comes. Confidence is high. We've had a really good summer back home, so hopefully, we can just really gel together as a team, continue that momentum, and see how far we can get.

Q: Talking of the T20 World Cup and T20 in general, Australia have been a dominant side, and they have won it six times. But in recent times, if you look at world cricket, Ireland have beaten Sri Lanka and England recently, and Scotland have made it to their maiden T20 World Cup campaign. How do you look at the depth of women's cricket in general? And how open is this T20 World Cup, if I have to put it in a question?

Definitely open. Obviously, every team here is dangerous and really strong in T20 cricket. In a T20 World Cup, anything can happen. Australia have been highly successful for a number of years now, and we really respect that and how hard they work. We're looking to do it in our own way and take each game as it comes, not look too far ahead. Just focus on ourselves and hopefully play some really good cricket.

Q: You talked about the team. So now let me just ask you about your personal expectations from the T20 World Cup 2024.

I think for me, it's obviously just to enjoy what I'm doing and be back in an England shirt. I think it's something I always dreamt of when I lost my contract six years ago. It was something I wasn't sure if I was going to get the chance to do again. I think I've grown a lot, and for me, it's just about not changing too much from what I've done domestically. Just enjoy being around mates and having the chance to play for England in a World Cup, which is something really special. Just enjoy every moment.

Q: So you talked about losing a contract six years ago. Despite doing well at the start of your career, you lost your place in the England side in 2019, and now you are making a comeback. How tough was it losing your place back then?

It was tough. I was in a pretty dark place. Growing up as a kid, all you want to do is play for your country. I got the chance to do that, but I think being so young and inexperienced as I was back then, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be a certain way and play a certain way. All that pressure I put on myself kind of took the enjoyment away a bit for me. Losing that contract meant I had to reset and refocus on how I wanted to play and what I wanted to be like. It was hard, but I’m back loving my cricket and doing what I'm doing and not trying to be something I'm not. Hopefully, that can carry on, and I can really enjoy being in an England shirt this time around.

Q: A lot has changed since 2019. The new domestic England regional setup came up, and you started playing domestic cricket professionally, having a lot of success for Vipers as well. How do you look at that period and the provisional setup, and how much did that help keep you going as far as your professional cricket is concerned?

Massively. When I was trying to get into the England setup six years ago, I was trying to balance a full-time coaching job and get my training alongside that. To see how much the women's game has grown, English domestic players can now have full-time contracts and not have to worry about anything else. Just enjoy getting better and playing a lot more cricket has been great, especially in England. It shows that we’ve had a number of domestic players called up into the England squad and also in franchise tournaments around the world. It shows how much our domestic players have grown, and hopefully that continues.

Q: So talking of Vipers, you have to talk about Charlotte Edwards. How much of her influence has been in your game during those years?

Massively. She's someone I've always admired, respected, and looked up to. The way she played and the way she coaches is something that really appeals to me. Having moved back to Southern Vipers a couple of years ago, it was a bit of a no-brainer for me to really push my game on and test myself, starting up in a new environment again. Having the chance to work with her has been great. She's a real good leader in terms of both being a cricketer and in personal life. She really respects her players, so that's been a real help for me.

Q: So now you are making a much-deserving comeback at the age of 29. The professional guys are helping the older players keep themselves in the system for a much longer period. How do you look at it?

It's great. Like I said, the domestic structure we have back home has been a massive support. The amount of professional players we have and the amount of cricket we’re playing at the minute is really good for our game back in England. There are a lot more players pushing for an England call-up, so it's really exciting. It's definitely something that's good for the game now.

Q: Talking of England domestic cricket, there is again another change coming up with the first-class cricket counties taking off the charges. How do you look at this change? How is it going to affect women's cricket in England?

I think again, it's obviously going to be a big positive for our game. Joining with a men's team now is really exciting to gain that exposure and be more relatable in terms of which teams are linked to each other. The funding is obviously increasing as well, which is brilliant. It can only improve. The girls are getting to train more, play more, and I think it can only improve English cricket.

Q: Now let's talk about The Hundred. Recently in 2020, you were the leading wicket-taker. You have been a stellar performer for Vipers in the Cup as well as the Arculus Trophy. But it was The Hundred where you took 15 wickets that got you in the limelight and back against the New Zealand side. How do you look at this last year and your performance in domestic cricket?

The Hundred was great. I really enjoyed it. It's a competition that I think is brilliant for the women's game. Getting that exposure is really good. For me, I think I just didn’t put too much pressure on myself and just really enjoyed what I was doing. I knew that the World Cup was on the horizon, tried not to look too far ahead, and just enjoyed my cricket while having fun playing with some world-class players. If I'm in a good headspace, the cricket kind of takes care of itself. I was delighted to be the leading wicket-taker, but for me, it was more about just being in a good headspace and being really competitive when playing.

Q: We already talked about Kirstie Gordon and Sophie Ecclestone, and you are also another left-arm spinner. A lot of left-arm spinners are coming up in England. How do you differentiate yourself from other left-arm spinners?

I think obviously my role is quite unique in terms of being your traditional spinner. That's not really what I try to be, especially in T20 cricket. I do a lot of my work in the power play and at the death, which can be hard at times. But it's something that really ignites a passion in me in terms of the pressure being on. If you miss, your margin is quite small, and you get punished for that, especially with only having two fielders out in the power play. For me, having that role clarity over the last few years has really helped me be switched on in games and compete at a good level.

Q: It can be hard bowling in the power play as well as at the death. Is there something specific you have worked on towards bowling those overs in the UAE or in international cricket in general?

Not really. To be honest, I think over the years, I've worked really hard on bowling in those pressure situations. When I've gotten myself in trouble, I've gone away from what I do well. For me, if I'm clear on what I'm trying to do and what my plan is, then I've got the best plan going forward. I think for me, just not trying to change too much of what I've done well previously and sticking to my strengths is important.

Q: Let's go back to the beginning. How did you start playing cricket?

I started when we moved when I was about seven. My dad had always played cricket at his local club, so when we moved, he wanted to find the local club and took me and my brother down. We just ended up all joining there and playing together, which was pretty cool.

Q: So when did you start taking it seriously? When did you think that this is something I want to do in my life?

I think pretty early on. I got into my county setup at home when I was under-13 level, so quite young. I've always been quite sporty, and when I discovered cricket and had a passion for it, I was alright at it, so I thought this is something I'll pursue. I enjoy doing it, so that was a no-brainer for me.

Q: How did the choice of left-arm spin come up? Did you always think that you would bowl left-arm?

I actually used to bowl pace when I was younger. I used to open the bowling with little left-arm in-swingers. I was quite little, so I wasn't the quickest or scariest fast bowler I've ever come across. I had a few injuries, and when I was at university, I was missing a lot of games, so I just decided to try spin and see where that gets me. Thankfully, it's worked out quite well.

Q: Now that you may have made your comeback to the England side for the T20 World Cup, what are the goals for Linsey Smith in the international arena as well as in your professional career in general?

I think, obviously, the goals for this tournament are to get into a really strong team. First and foremost, you've got to get picked. The spinners that we've got in the team at the minute are a real high-class performance. So, I think I should enjoy every opportunity that I can get out here. I just need to stick to what I do well, not let the pressure get on top of me, and enjoy being back around the team and my teammates. From there, I don't like to look too far ahead, so we'll see what happens. I'm looking forward to this World Cup.