SMITH COULD SIP CHAMPAGNE IN LAST CHANCE SALOON
Will Smith, the Durham batsman, admits that this season was his "last chance saloon" and now, after a superb year, the 25-year-old could be drinking champagne if Durham can defeat Kent in their final LV County Championship match.
Durham, currently third in the Division One table, could snatch the title from Nottinghamshire and Somerset and celebrate winning the title for the first time in their history.
Smith has endured a couple of tough seasons at the Riverside after moving from Nottinghamshire in 2006, but has hit form this year.
He has the best Championship average - just under 50 runs - at Durham, and has convinced himself that he is good enough to sparkle not only in the domestic game, but also higher.
Smith said: "I'm proud of the runs I have scored. Over the winter I was worried this year might be the last chance saloon for me. Maybe that has helped me.
"I've really enjoyed my cricket this year. It's given me a taste of what I want to achieve in the game and it's proved to me I can do it.
"I need to do it year in, year out now, if I want to go further in the game. It has convinced me that I can do it, and do it consistently."
On Wednesday's four-day game at Canterbury, Smith added: "We have to be optimistic. Every round of games there has been a different leader. Teams have been beating teams. There are a couple of twists to come.
"It's a case of concentrating on what we are doing. It's just another game really. The Championship places an added emphasis on it, but we have to do what we have been doing all season.
"We might have been thinking we could be slightly closer to Nottinghamshire given our position halfway through," admitted Smith. "If you had given us the opportunity to be in the shake-up we would have taken it."
Will Smith, the Durham batsman, admits that this season was his "last chance saloon" and now, after a superb year, the 25-year-old could be drinking champagne if Durham can defeat Kent in their final LV County Championship match.
Durham, currently third in the Division One table, could snatch the title from Nottinghamshire and Somerset and celebrate winning the title for the first time in their history.
Smith has endured a couple of tough seasons at the Riverside after moving from Nottinghamshire in 2006, but has hit form this year.
He has the best Championship average - just under 50 runs - at Durham, and has convinced himself that he is good enough to sparkle not only in the domestic game, but also higher.
Smith said: "I'm proud of the runs I have scored. Over the winter I was worried this year might be the last chance saloon for me. Maybe that has helped me.
"I've really enjoyed my cricket this year. It's given me a taste of what I want to achieve in the game and it's proved to me I can do it.
"I need to do it year in, year out now, if I want to go further in the game. It has convinced me that I can do it, and do it consistently."
On Wednesday's four-day game at Canterbury, Smith added: "We have to be optimistic. Every round of games there has been a different leader. Teams have been beating teams. There are a couple of twists to come.
"It's a case of concentrating on what we are doing. It's just another game really. The Championship places an added emphasis on it, but we have to do what we have been doing all season.
"We might have been thinking we could be slightly closer to Nottinghamshire given our position halfway through," admitted Smith. "If you had given us the opportunity to be in the shake-up we would have taken it."
Labels: Durham, LV County Championship, Will Smith
