END OF SMITH'S WORLD

Jamie's axed from T20s after Ashes struggles

- BY RORY DOLLARD

JAMIE SMITH has been dropped from England's T20 World Cup squad - but the injured Jofra Archer and uncapped quick Josh Tongue have both been included.

Test performances in Australia are hardly the most obvious metric for a short-form tournament taking place in Sri Lanka and India in February, but Smith's dramatic loss of form in the Ashes may be a factor in his omission.

The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 60 from 26 balls in his last T20 appearance against the West Indies in June, but was rested due to a heavy workload from the subsequent series against South Africa and Ireland.

Now, after a difficult series Down Under that has seen him average 19.85 with the bat and struggle at times behind the stumps, he has been left out entirely.

Tongue's stock has gone in the opposite direction after impressive performances in Adelaide and Melbourne.