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A little Grenadian stood tall at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Devon Smith, a 20-year-old opening batsman who created a big impression with his phenomenal scoring on the West Indies youth team's tour of England last summer, advertised his rich talent with a century of immense class.

And while none of his teammates reached 30, his imposing presence at the crease from the start of the day until 4 p.m. ensured that the Windward Islands posted a satisfactory total on the opening day of their second round Busta Cup match against Barbados.

Smith's 143 was just under half of the 327 made by the resurgent Windwards, the second successive innings they have gone past 300 this season.

The left-hander might have had the benefit of chances on 26 and 56, but no will argue about the quality of his maiden first-class hundred against a Barbados attack that lacked consistency.

Smith was supremely positive from his first scoring stroke to his last and when he eventually missed a paddle-sweep to be lbw to Sulieman Benn, two of the Bajans on the field patted him on the shoulder before he walked off the field to generous applause.

The crowd of about 2 000 knew that they had witnessed something special from a potential West Indies selectee.

It might be too premature to make such a comment, but Smith has made a bold statement in the last seven months.

His two hundreds and four half-centuries in major matches on the England tour last year was followed by 84 in last weekend's Busta opener against Jamaica in his native Grenada, but yesterday would have been the most satisfying moment of his career.

This is my biggest hundred. I'm looking for greater things in the other games to come, said Smith.

I just want to stay there, concentrate and bat for long, and in the end I think I'll make it.

Smith stroked 19 fours and a six from the 222 balls he received, but it was obvious that he favoured driving through the off-side with timing and placement.

The faster bowlers were driven down the ground early in the day and when off-spinner Ryan Austin came on after 13 overs with Smith already in full flow on 35, he was treated with scant respect.

Austin, fresh from a career-best five-wicket haul, was a teammate of Smith in England, but it was in no way a deliberate plan to get after him immediately.

That's my normal game. Once you are up there, I will play my shots. I am full of confidence, Smith said

Things are working out for me. I want to continue my good form and grow from strength to strength.

Austin's first ball was lifted over long-on for a boundary and the third and fourth were dispatched over long-off. Such was the confidence of the young man who hails from the northern Grenadian town of Sautters.

By then, Smith had already been missed by Kurt Wilkinson at second slip. It was the first of at least five identifiable chances Barbados missed on a day in which their ground fielding was also ragged at times.

Wilkinson is usually a reliable catcher, but he was again a culprit later in the day when he dropped a catch at deep mid-wicket in the middle of the productive sixth-wicket stand of 68.

Benn, debutant Fidel Edwards and wicket-keeper Courtney Browne were the other offenders, although Browne's miss was not exactly straightforward.

Windwards, seeking to break the string of defeats against Barbados, were encouraged by an opening stand of 90 between Smith and teenager Romel Currency, who survived for close to two hours in spite of his early difficulties that included a blow to the helmet from the pacy Tino Best.

Currency was the first of four victims of Ian Bradshaw, but the left-armer did not bowl half as impressively as he had done in his match-winning performance against Guyana four days earlier.

The Windwards lost a couple of wickets through some carelessness on the part of their seasoned players. Among them were first match century-maker Junior Murrary, along with captain Rawl Lewis and vice-captain John Eugene.

© The Barbados Nation