Sport

Smith stars for WI

By Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter

Devon Smith raises his bat in acknowledgement of his maiden Test century at Sabina Park yesterday. The dimunitive opener slammed 108 runs and shared in a 122-run fifth wicket partnership with Ryan Hinds (right). - Junior Dowie

WEST INDIES CAPTAIN Brian Lara has praised opener Devon Smith after the 23-year-old Grenadian scored his maiden Test century on the opening day of the first Cable & Wireless Test against England at Sabina Park yesterday.

"I think that at 71 for four England were a bit on top at that time but getting to 281 for five and capitulating after that is a bit disappointing...but all in all I'm quite happy for young Smith I think he played well for his first Test century," skipper Brian Lara said.

Smith who slammed 18 boundaries in his 108 was delighted with his innings which helped the West Indies to 311 for nine when bad light stopped play.

"I knew that somebody from the top order had to stay and I took the opportunity to stay," the dimunitive opener said.

Lara said Smith and Ryan Hinds who scored a Test-best 84 showed the West Indies batting had some depth."

A lot of people were talking about our batting being our strength coming into the game, but they probably left Devon Smith and Ryan Hinds out," he said.

Long career

"I think Devon showed today that he is at the start of a long career. It's great to see some of the players other than the ones talked about (Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle) do well.

"It's a good sign for us and hopefully the other batsmen will build on this.

"Smith said he had learnt a lot from working with West Indies great Sir Garfield Sobers in the past week.

Great feeling

"It's a great feeling to get a hundred," he said. "This week I've been working on my concentration and just taking advice and trying to improve on my strengths and weaknesses.

"England's late rally helped lift their spirits after letting slip an early position of domination, when they had Lara back in the pavilion and West Indies teetering at 101 for four.

West Indies' mid-afternoon fightback owed a lot to the support they got from the Red Stripe Mound which was rollicking from early and served to counter England's 'Barmy Army' which packed the huge George Headley Stand and sang loudest before and just after lunch when their team had the West Indies on the run.

Among those at the Mound were rising pop star Wayne Marshall and Jamaican Test players Wavell Hinds, Jerome Taylor, Jermaine Lawson, Gareth Breese and Carlton Baugh Jnr.