Jamie Smith Matches De Kock's Record for Fastest 1000 Runs by a Wicketkeeper

Historic Achievement by Jamie Smith

On July 11, during the ongoing Test match at Lord's, England's right-handed batsman Jamie Smith equaled the record held by South Africa's Quinton de Kock for the fastest 1000 runs scored by a wicketkeeper in Test cricket.

Smith reached this impressive milestone in just 21 innings, matching De Kock, who stepped away from Test cricket in December 2021.

Following them on the list are Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal and England's Jonny Bairstow, who both took 22 innings to reach the same mark.

Notable players like Kumar Sangakkara and AB de Villiers are tied for third place, having achieved this feat in 23 innings, while West Indies' Jeff Dujon follows with 24 innings.

In his innings, Jamie Smith scored 51 runs off 56 balls, hitting six boundaries before being dismissed.

As Day 2 commenced, England resumed their innings at 251/4, with Joe Root (99*) and captain Ben Stokes (39*) at the crease.

Root quickly added to his score with a boundary on the first ball of the day, marking his ninth international century at Lord's and his 37th overall in Test matches, placing him fifth among the all-time Test centurions.

However, in the 86th over, India's Jasprit Bumrah made a crucial breakthrough, dismissing Stokes for 44 runs off 110 balls, ending their 88-run partnership.

Smith then took to the crease, aggressively targeting Mohammed Siraj with two impressive boundaries.

But Bumrah struck again, removing Root for 104 runs off 199 balls and then getting Chris Woakes out for a golden duck, leaving England at 271/7.

Despite the setbacks, Smith maintained his attacking style, scoring boundaries against both Siraj and Bumrah, showcasing his talent and power. England crossed the 300-run mark in 92.3 overs, with Carse also contributing valuable runs.

Smith reached his fifty in just 52 balls, hitting six fours, and helped England surpass the 350-run milestone, ensuring a solid end to the session.