 His first appearance in the Second XI championship came in June 1996, though he was to see little action over the next two years until he made his breakthrough in first-class cricket in April 1999.He would appear regularly for the first team over the next three years, and retired from first-class cricket in 2002.Smethurst represented Lancashire in the Second XI trophy and the AON Risks Trophy in 1999, 2001 and 2002.