The first ODI between South Africa and Afghanistan on Wednesday (September 18) saw the Proteas hand an ODI debut to 29-year-old batting all-rounder Jason Smith, despite a fairly ordinary List A record.
Smith made his first-class debut at the age of 18 in February 2013, for Western Province against Griqualand West and his List A debut came that December against Namibia. The following year, he represented South Africa at the U19 World Cup.
Smith failed to make a real impression at that tournament, scoring 49 runs in his three innings. His seam bowling was also not utilised much by the Aiden Markram-led side in the tournament as he bowled only once, taking 1-15 in three overs against Zimbabwe.
Since then, he has had to grind long and hard on the domestic circuit. He has represented three different teams in first-class cricket in South Africa – Western Province, Cape Cobras and KwaZulu-Natal Coastal.
Smith's List A career has been decent, but without much to write home about. He was selected to represent South Africa A in August 2017, alongside the likes of Reeza Hendricks and Heinrich Klaasen, against an India A side which had current stars Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson and Mohammed Siraj. Smith scored four, batting at No.3 and returned bowling figures of 0-39 in seven overs.
2023-24: Jason Smith hits new heights
He has, however, enjoyed a surge of late. His 2023-24 season in white-ball cricket saw an uptick in form with both bat and ball. In the T20 format, he represented KwaZulu-Natal, scoring 291 runs at an average in excess of 40 and a strike rate of 133. In the final of the CSA T20 Challenge, he scored an unbeaten 51 off 33 balls.
These performances led to a national team call-up, and he played in the second T20I on South Africa's tour of West Indies last month.
Smith put in a similar showing in the CSA Provincial One Day Challenge towards the end of last year. In KwaZulu-Natal's second match of the season, he slammed his first-ever List A century, 116 off 103 balls, after coming in at 54-3 in the 14th over. Smith's effort saw him take his side over the line in a chase of 264, with seven balls to spare.
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Against Gauteng after that, Smith scored a run-a-ball 65 in the first innings after walking to the crease at 61-3. He followed that up with another half-century, 75 against Northerns after coming in at 32-3. He only managed 10 in his final match of the season, but his form across the season in both white-ball formats is likely what prompted his selection in the ODI side as well.
106 first-class wickets suggest Smith does have some bowling pedigree. His flexibility in that respect will have also made him an attractive option for South Africa's middle order.
A spot also opened up for him in the playing XI for the first ODI against Afghanistan with Heinrich Klaasen missing the tour due to personal reasons, and Temba Bavuma ruled out of the match through illness.
Smith's debut did not quite go to plan though. Batting at No.6, he came out to the middle at 29-4 but scored a five-ball duck as South Africa soon slipped to 36-7 before Wiaan Mulder helped the Proteas get past 100.
Following two strong performances against Australia, Liam Livingstone has risen seven spots to attain the No.1 ranking for the first time 💥
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 18, 2024
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