Jeroen Smits

Netherlands|Wicketkeeper Batter
Jeroen Smits
INTL CAREER: 2003 - 2009
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Full Name

Jeroen Smits

Born

June 21, 1972, Den Haag

Age

51y 272d

Nicknames

Piglet

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Fielding Position

Wicketkeeper

Playing Role

Wicketkeeper Batter

A pleasingly old-school wicketkeeper who rarely batted higher than No. 9 for Netherlands, Jeroen Smits was one of his country's longest-serving and most selfless cricketers. In a career that had its primordial roots in age-group cricket in the late 1980s and came to an end more than twenty years later, Smits' captaining of the side to a thrilling last-ball win over England in the opening match of the 2009 World Twenty20 at Lord's is undoubtedly a career high. He had been 12th man in 1989 when Netherlands beat an England XI that included Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart - although that victory had something to do with the night before - but his chirpy presence was a constant in the field on that famous night at Lord's.

For a long time, Smits struggled to break into the side with Reinout Scholte keeping him out, but when Scholte retired he made the wicketkeeper's place all his own, and soon took over as a strong and inspirational captain. He possessed a steady pair of hands and was an excellent motivator in the field, although critics were quick to point out his limitations with the bat. A popular member of the squad, he had plenty of tricks up his sleeve in the dressing room and was constantly initiating banter, although with nicknames such as Piglet, he took as much as he gave. In a typically unselfish move, Smits opted to call time on his career in October 2009. Though he felt he could have played on longer, he wanted to give whoever came after him as the side's captain and wicketkeeper enough time to find their feet ahead of the 2011 World Cup.
Liam Brickhill

Jeroen Smits Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
ODIs3819916929*16.9036046.9400100417
T20Is6211511*15.002755.55000010
FC111541322612.0056023.5700--285
List A68371725629*12.80--00--8114
T20s6211511*15.002755.55000010

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
ODIs38------------
T20Is6------------
FC11-000-----000
List A68-000-----000
T20s6------------
Jeroen Smits, player portrait

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ODI
T20I

Recent Matches of Jeroen Smits

Photos of Jeroen Smits

Shoaib Malik hits out
Jeroen Smits leaps for joy as Netherlands celebrate their dramatic last-ball win
Jeroen Smits and Bas Zuiderent celebrate a wicket
Jeroen Smits pumps his fist as Netherlands celebrate their dramatic last-ball win
Netherlands captain Jeroen Smits poses with the ICC World Twenty20 trophy
Jeroen Smits in animated appeal