SHOT AT IMMORTALITY

CRICKET: DEFINING SERIES AHEAD

- By Mike Walters

JAMIE SMITH will use the next fortnight to reboot ahead of 10 Test matches which could propel England’s Bazball constellation into the galaxy of superstars.

After signing off from his promotion to open for the one-day side with a dazzling 64 off 28 balls against West Indies at The Oval, Smith will return to the middle order for defining Test series against India this summer and Australia in the winter.

Win them both, and England could return to No.1 in the Test rankings for the first time since 2012 - and the players will go down in Ashes legend.

Next stop for Smith is the first Test against India at Headingley, starting on June 20, and his sense of anticipation is palpable.

He said: “It feels like we’re close to it now, we’re almost there. The next 10 Tests are massive, we’re playing the two best nations.