Devon Smith aims for 1000 runs this season

Jan 13, 2009 Sports

….and Windies recall for England series

Devon Smith

Stuart Williams (974), Carl Hooper (954) and Chris Gayle (945) are the only batsmen in regional first-class cricket to reach 900 runs in a single season since the inaugural match was played in 1865.
With a magnificent double century in his opening game against Guyana and with 12 matches to play as opposed to the eight that Williams and nine each that Hooper and Gayle played, Windward Islands Devon Smith wants to become the first batsman to cross the 1000-run mark.
The left hander from Grenada, who has scored a solitary century and averages 24.30 from the 24 Tests he has played for the West Indies, is also eyeing a re-call to the regional side for the four-Test home series against England which starts in Jamaica next month.
Smith, who scored 842 runs from eight matches including four centuries in the 2004 season, the year after making an attractive 62 on his Test debut against Australia at Bourda, became only the second Windwards batsman to score a regional first-class double hundred last Saturday at the National Stadium on home soil and feels that at 27, he now more matured and comfortable with his batting.
“I have had two months of really hard preparation doing a lot of running and batting and I feel I am now much more mature and confident as a batsman. I am working hard to do well enough this season to get back into the West Indies team for the upcoming series against England,” Smith told Kaieteur Sports on Sunday afternoon.
“My Coach Ray Duncan has been working with me since I was an under-19 player while Junior (Murray) has helped me a lot over the last few years,” Smith who played his last Test against Australia last June explained.
The exciting left-hander now has 15 first-class tons and an average of 37.10 from 106 matches. He also has the most (10) centuries by a Windwards batsman but his goal is to add some more Test centuries to his name. He averages 23.27 from 26 ODIs with a highest score of 91.
“I don’t think I have made the best of my opportunities at the Test level because I think I put myself under pressure to always perform to keep my place in the team and maybe tried too hard. I now realize how important the mental side of cricket is and I am now more relaxed and enjoying my cricket. Once you do the basics, concentrate, have patience and pick your shots you should make lots of runs. As you get older I think you learn these things,” Smith said.
“When I made the West Indies team I had just scored over 700 runs (750) in the 2002 season and while I think I was batting well and eager to play Test cricket, looking back I am not sure if I was mentally ready for International cricket,” Smith explained.
Smith said that he is mentally stronger now and looking to play a major role in helping the Windwards to win their first regional title this season.
“We have never won a regional (first-class) title and I think we have the team to surprise a lot of people this year. It is really good to see us getting big scores since in the past it was generally the bowlers who kept us in games since just one or two of the batsmen would get a score in the same innings,” Smith added.
“This season we had a practice game in St Kitts and that has helped us a lot in playing together as a team since in the past we would many times get together a day or two before our first match.
I think the guys know their strengths and their role in the team and with this big win against Guyana, our confidence is very high going into our next game against Barbados from Friday,” the opener revealed.
With the West Indies players failing to show mental strength and consistent outstanding performances, Smith, with his new found maturity and desire to make a mark at the International level, could be back in maroon colours to partner Chris Gayle at the top of the order in the home series against England.
(Sean Devers)

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