Linsey Smith has built her cricketing career on persistence and accuracy as a left-arm orthodox spinner. Her journey began in the domestic circuit with Berkshire, where she quickly established herself as a reliable wicket-taker. By her early twenties she had already become the side’s leading bowler, which opened the door to opportunities in the Women’s Super League. Consistent performances in that competition ensured she stayed on the radar of national selectors.
She later moved to Loughborough Lightning while continuing her studies at Loughborough University, and eventually became a key figure for Northern Diamonds in their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy success. Her first international break came in 2018, when she represented England at the Women’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies. She impressed on debut and followed up with useful spells in T20I series against India and Sri Lanka in 2019. However, with stiff competition for places, Smith did not feature regularly for England and instead focused on refining her skills in domestic cricket while waiting for another chance.
Alongside her county and regional commitments, she also gained valuable experience on the franchise circuit. She featured in The Hundred for Northern Superchargers and played in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League with Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Sixers. Renowned for her control and ability to contain runs rather than headline-grabbing figures, Smith became a dependable option for captains in high-pressure moments. Her progress was underlined in 2024 when she finished as the leading wicket-taker in The Hundred, a feat that earned her a place in the PCA Women’s Team of the Year.
Her perseverance finally bore fruit when she returned to the England setup in March 2024 during a T20I series in New Zealand. Later that year she featured in the T20 World Cup in the UAE, enjoying a longer run in the side compared to her initial stint in 2018. The pinnacle of her career came in May 2025 when she made her long-awaited ODI debut against West Indies. Rising to the occasion, Smith produced a dream performance by taking a five-wicket haul on debut. The promise she showed in white-ball cricket on her return to the England setup, coupled with the fact that the World Cup was to be played in subcontinental spin-friendly conditions, earned Smith a place in the squad for the global event that year.
