GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – Jamaica Scorpions flopped while veteran left-hander Devon Smith took aim at another record to put Windward Islands Volcanoes in a strong position, heading into Saturday’s day three of their day/night seventh round match.
Replying to the hosts’ 226 for nine declared on Thursday’s opening day, Scorpions failed to mount a serious batting effort and crumbled to 112 for nine before declaring their innings on the second day here Friday.
Left-handed opener John Campbell, unbeaten on 29 overnight, failed to add but was the top-scorer as Scorpions lost wickets steadily after resuming the day on 33 without loss.
Dervan Green got 25 batting at number eight but other than for wicketkeeper Aldaine Thomas (20), no other batsman passed 20.
Scorpions were undermined by the seam duo of Kyle Mayers (4-32) and Sherman Lewis (4-36) who grabbed four wickets apiece.
Armed with a lead of 114 runs, Volcanoes were put in the driver’s seat by the 36-year-old Smith who was unbeaten on 75 as they reached 142 for three at the close – an overall lead of 256 runs.
Smith is eyeing his second century of the match and fifth of the season, following his unbeaten 107 in the first innings.
He has so far faced 137 balls and struck six fours and posted 48 for the third wicket with Kirk Edwards (17) and a further 31 in an unbroken fourth wicket stand with Roland Cato (16 not out).
If Smith completes the feat of scoring a century in both innings, he will become the first batsman to achieve the milestone twice in the modern era (1966 onwards) of the Windies first-class championship.
He now has 794 runs for the season.
VOLCANOES 1st Innings 226-9 decl.
Scorpions 1st Innings
(overnight 33 without loss)
J Campbell lbw b Lewis 29
T Griffith c Dember b Lewis 3
O Williams c Smith b Mayers 5
B King lbw b Lewis 13
*P Palmer c wkp Dennis Smith b Mayers 8
F Allen b Johnson 0
+A Thomas lbw b Mayers 16
D Green lbw b Mayers 25
D Jacobs c Devon Smith b Lewis 2
O Smith not out 0
Extras (b6, lb3, w2) 11
TOTAL (9 wkts, 35.3 Overs) 112
Did not bat: C Lamont.
Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-34, 3-50, 4-54, 5-57, 6-75, 7-90, 8-108, 9-112.
Bowling: Johnson 10-3-31-1, Lewis 12.3-1-36-4, Mayers 12-4-32-4, Dember 1-0-4-0.
VOLCANOES 2nd Innings
Devon Smith not out 75
*T Theophile not out 0
M Bascombe lbw b Campbell 18
D Hector c Jacobs b Green 4
K Edwards lbw b Jacobs 17
R Cato not out 16
Extras (b1, lb5, w2, nb4) 12
TOTAL (3 wkts, 50 overs) 142
Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-63, 3-111.
Bowling: Green 9-0-26-1, Lamont 14-1-39-0, Smith 5-1-22-0, Jacobs 12-3-19-1, Campbell 10-0-30-1.
Position: Volcanoes lead by 256 runs with seven second innings wickets intact.
