Devon Smith eyes the Sir Vivian Richards Award

St. John’s (Antigua) March 19 (IANS): Windward Islands opening batsman Devon Smith remains the leading run scorer ahead of the next round of matches in the Caribbean’s four-day and Super 50 competitions.

Smith has totalled 456 runs in four-day format at an average of 76, becoming the leading contender for the Sir Vivian Richards Award for batsman.

The 31-year-old Grenadian left-handed stroke-maker has also added another 203 runs in the Super 50 at an average of 67.67.

The former West Indies opener, who currently tops the charts in both formats, says his goal is to score a few more centuries and surpass 800 runs in the four-day season this year.

He already has two centuries under his belt in the four-day format and one in the Super 50.

Guyana’s Leon Johnson is second on four-day batting table with 299 runs followed by Barbados’ Kirk Edwards on 269 runs.

Another Grenadian, Andre Fletcher, has the second most runs in the Super50 with a total of 171.

Meantime, Smith’s Windward Islands teammate and West Indies off spinner Shane Shillingford is leading the charge to collect the Courtney Walsh Award for the bowling taking the most wickets in the four day tournament.

Shillingford has 24 scalps at an average of 15.67 and a best innings haul of 7 for 63 and is followed by left-arm spinners Nikita Miller 19 wickets, and Veerasammy Permaul 18 wickets.

In the shorter version, Combined Campuses and Colleges and former West Indies Under 19 spinner Derone Davis has the most wickets.

The Trinidadian has bagged nine wickets from four matches with a best for three for 31.