In the space of a phone call with Durham head coach Jon Lewis, a future with many possible avenues to explore was immediately narrowed down to one for Will Smith – a return to the North East.
Despite captaining Hampshire’s Second XI & scoring well with the bat, it quickly became clear to the 35-year-old that a change in the Club’s selection policy would equate to limited First XI opportunities.
But as one door closed, another opened – or re-opened – for the all-rounder as he agreed a move back to Emirates Riverside, where he left in 2013 as a three-time County Championship winner.
Speaking as he prepares for the arrival of his third child in mid-November, Smith is excited about what he can bring back to the dressing room.
“It’s huge excitement to get back to a place where I spent seven incredibly special years,” Smith said.
“Things have changed a bit, but I’ve got a real desire to help Durham get back to where they belong, help get over the negatives & experience some really positive things with a Club that has given me a really enjoyable & successful seven years before now.
“It’s been one of the strangest years of my career in many different respects. I’m fairly philosophical about things but as the season went on, I scored a lot of runs in the second team, was captaining them [Hampshire 2nd XI] & winning games, it felt set in stone that I wouldn’t play in the first team.
“It gave me the clarity I could try & move forward to plan for other things, but all the while I felt I was playing really well.
“I’ve gone full circle in terms of lots of different wishes & emotions so to have the opportunity, when Jon [Lewis] first expressed he wanted me to come back, that went straight to the top of the list and jumped over every other option in my head.”
It was only in August last year that Smith struck his highest first-class score, scoring 210 against Lancashire & following up with 90 against Durham in the final game of that season.
Put that alongside the weight of 2nd XI runs in 2017 & it appears the right-hander has plenty left to give in the first-class arena, an assertion he certainly agrees with.
And it is obvious that Smith is relishing the chance to put performances in for Durham & to play his part in bringing back the feel-good factor that was so prevalent during his trophy-laden previous spell between 2007-2013.
“I bear no grudges whatsoever but it quickly became clear that perhaps the future wasn’t going to be at Hampshire.
“I feel like each year I’ve played, I’ve gained more experience & become more rounded. I’ve had glimpses here & there but for some reason at Hampshire things haven’t quite clicked. I can put that to good use now.
“I’m very excited because I believe I’ve got a huge amount left to offer. In terms of recent first-class form, I’m not doing too badly!
“In 2013, when we won the Championship, was like the dressing room now with a few younger faces coming in. It was really fresh & everyone who came in did well & has this real desire to do well for each other & the Club.
“It starts on a clean slate next year & it’s going to be a really exciting place to be. There’s a lot of people who have a lot of drive & enthusiasm – none more so than me!”
“I’ve played for Hampshire a few times at Emirates Riverside & got a good welcome, everyone was very friendly & the members would say hello.
“I’m incredibly excited to come up & start another really exciting chapter in what has been a very exciting story already.”