Windwards strong  reply
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) – Devon Smith belted his 17th first-class hundred and narrowly missed a double as he shouldered a stout Windward Islands batting effort against Guyana on the third day of their seventh and final round WICB Regional first-class match yesterday.
Replying to Guyana’s first-innings total of 452 at the National Cricket Stadium, the Windward Islands profited from a magnificent captain’s knock of 193 from Smith as they compiled 371 for seven at stumps.
Smith, omitted from the West Indies set-up in recent months, seemed poised for a double century but fell off the last ball of the day from part-time medium pacer Assad Fudadin.
The left-handed Smith’s combative knock of 193, the highest for the season, and two gutsy middle order partnerships, highlighted a spirited Windwards reply to Guyana’s daunting total.
The diminutive Smith batted throughout most of the Windwards first innings unleashing an array of cuts, pulls and extra cover drives and seemed headed to break his career-best first-class individual score of 212.
The 28-year-old Grenadian, who scored a century against the Leeward Islands earlier in the season, produced a responsible innings, hitting 25 fours, facing 306 balls while occupying the crease for 475 minutes.
The Windward Island’s captain was forced to initiate a recovery after the home side lost three early wickets with just 67 runs on the board.
Smith, pressing his claims for a recall to the West Indies team, linked up with Liam Sebastien to register a defiant 96-run fourth-wicket stand after opener Tyrone Theophile, Miles Bascombe and night-watchman Nelon Pascal departed.
Both Theophile and Pascal were caught behind to away swingers from pacer Esaun Crandon, who has enjoyed most of Guyana’s bowling success so far with Fudadin.
Fudadin picked up two wickets for 20 runs including the prize scalp of Smith who could not resist the urge to drive and nicked a rising delivery to wicket-keeper Derwin Christian at the end of play.
Fudadin bowled only seven overs and conceded 20 runs. He was also responsible for breaking a resistant 100-run stand for the sixth wicket between Smith and former Windwards captain Rawl Lewis.
Earlier, the Windwards’ efforts to rebuild their innings suffered a major blow on the stroke of lunch when Sebastien, prodding forward, pushed a ball from spinner Veerasammy Permaul to Rajindra Chandrika at silly mid-off.
Sebastian, who struck four fours, fell five runs short of a half century.
Craig Emanuel contributed 19 runs to an exciting fifth-wicket partnership with Smith that yielded 39 runs and ended after he was run out, due to a communication mix-up while attempting an impossible single.
Experienced all-rounder Lewis played a major supporting role to Smith and together they presided over productive sessions before and after tea that pushed the home team back into contention.
Smith and Lewis scored quickly and piled up 120 runs for the sixth wicket when the veteran all-rounder edged the second ball of a new over from Fudadin to wicket-keeper Christian.
Lewis struck seven fours and a six in an entertaining knock of 56.
Lyndon James is not out on 18 and is expected to be joined by Gairy Mathurin for today’s last day, which starts with the Windward Islands trailing by 81 runs with three first innings wickets standind.