ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Devon Smith cracked his 30th first-class career hundred, but the Windward Islands Volcanoes’ bid for an unexpected victory over Leeward Islands Hurricanes failed and they had to settle for a draw in the Regional 4-Day Championship on Sunday.
The 36-year-old Smith, the most prolific batsman in the history of the regional competition, was undefeated on a masterful 185 that helped him to earn the Player-of-the-Match award and carry the Volcanoes to 331 for three declared in their second innings – for a lead of 221 – on the final day of their first-round match at the National Cricket Stadium.
Chasing 222 for victory, the Hurricanes stumbled against the spin bowling triumvirate of Shane Shillingford, Liam Sebastien and Audy Alexander and were fortunate to escape with the result, finishing on 112 for six.
Left-handed opener Smith collected 14 fours and three sixes from 235 balls in close to six hours to post his 24th regional first-class hundred.
He shared century stands with Kirk Edwards for the second wicket and Kavem Hodge for the fourth wicket before the declaration came.
Edwards, the Barbados-born, discarded West Indies batsman, made 64 that included five fours from 143 balls in 3 ½ hours of batting and Hodge, a former West Indies Under-19 batsman, was unbeaten on a run-a-ball 56 in close to 1 ½ hours of occupation to hasten the declaration.
The three Volcanoes spinners then collected two wickets apiece, but the Hurricanes on the back of Keacy Carty, their youngest batsman, with the top score of 48, managed to defy them long enough to come away with the majority of the points.
Volcanoes face reigning three-time champions Guyana Jaguars in the next round, starting at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Ground on Thursday in St. Lucia.
Hurricanes have just two days to prepare for their next match against Barbados Pride, starting on Wednesday at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
VOLCANOES 1st Innings 233
HURRICANES 1st Innings 343
VOLCANOES 2nd Innings
(overnight 93 for one)
D Smith not out 185
*T Theophile c Warde b Louis 0
K Edwards c Taylor b Campbell 64
R Cato b Taylor 18
K Hodge not out 56
Extras (b4, lb1, w1, nb2) 8
TOTAL (3 wkts decl’d, 78 overs) 331
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-173, 3-202
Bowling: Matthew 10-2-32-0; Louis 16-4-64-1 (nb1, w1); Warde 12-1-61-0; Tonge 17-2-78-0; Campbell 18-2-77-1; Taylor 5-0-14-1 (nb1)
HURRICANES 2nd Innings (target: 222)
K Carty c Cato b Alexander 48
C Hughes b Shillingford 0
A Saunders b Alexander 20
*+D Thomas lbw b Sebastien 8
N Bonner not out 19
J Taylor c Smith b Sebastien 5
T Warde c Cato b Shillingford 0
J Louis not out 0
Extras (lb1, nb6, pen5) 12
TOTAL (6 wkts, 43 overs) 112
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-55, 3-82, 4-88, 5-99, 6-112
Bowling: Lewis 5-1-11-0; Shillingford 15-4-41-2; Alexander 12-1-39-2 (nb6); Sebastien 9-3-12-2; Hodge 2-0-3-0
Result: Match drawn
Points: Hurricanes 10.8, Volcanoes 5.8
Player-of-the-Match: D Smith (Volcanoes)
Umpires: J Blades (Barbados), J Wilson (Trinidad & Tobago)
Match referee: C Felix
Reserve umpire: R Davis
