Versatile Smith aims to shine
Owen Smith is a highly-rated wicketkeeper-batter from Rotherham who has just signed his maiden professional rookie contract with Yorkshire.
Smith plays his league cricket for Barnsley Woolley Miners and has been playing second-team cricket for the White Rose county for the last two seasons, 2024 and 2025.
Smith’s batting capabilities mean he can quite comfortably hold down a place as a specialist batter.
Yorkshire’s second-team coach Tom Smith said upon namesake Owen being awarded his pro contract in October: “He’s a very good ball striker – a big, strong lad who can clear the ropes in white-ball cricket but is very adept with the red-ball side of his game as well.”
A former Bunbury Festival winner, his first recorded appearance for Yorkshire came as an Under 13 in the shortened Covid summer of 2020.
Smith was part of the Academy side which won the Under 18s County Cup competition in 2024, beating Middlesex in the final at Kibworth. He batted in the middle order in that September final.
A year later, when Yorkshire returned to the same stage – unfortunately beaten by Glamorgan at Headingley – Smith opened the batting,
He made his first-team debut for Barnsley Woolley Miners at the age of 15 and has a top score of 147 to his name, scored against Doncaster Town in a Yorkshire Premier League South match in April 2025. He opened the batting in that knock.
He played for the England Young Lions invitational side in two mid-summer (2025) friendlies against the Under 19s sides of England and India.
The Young Lions is almost like an Under 19s second team.
He scored 67 in the first, against England, from number three. The Young Lions won that match, with county colleague Alex Wade in opposition.
Will Bennison and Jay Singh played alongside Smith.
OCTOBER 2025.
