Hinds....140 not out. -DELLMARTony Becca, Senior Sport Editor
CASTRIES:
JAMAICA'S Wavell Hinds and Grenada's Devon Smith christened St. Lucia's new ground in Beausogeau, Grosislet, with impressive performances as the Busta X1 dominated yesterday's opening day of the three-day match against the touring Indian cricketers.
In a brilliant display in the first first-class match on an attractive ground surrounded by mountains, the two left-handers posted 215 off 310 deliveries in 201 minutes for the second wicket .
Opening batsman Smith stroked a chanceless 91 and Hinds, also without offering a chance, stroking and blasting 140 not out as the Busta X1 strolled to 250 for two off 60.3 overs after winning the toss.
Smith batted for 245 minutes, faced 140 deliveries and stroked 13 fours before he swept at offspinner Sarandeep Singh and was bowled in the final over while Hinds batted for 201 minutes, and faced 180 deliveries and stroked 19 fours and hit three sixes.
Coming together after a late start due to a wet and soft bowler's run-up at the southern end, and after Daren Ganga, aiming to drive through the onside, was bowled by right-arm legspinner Anil Kumble for five at 34 for one, Smith and Hinds treated the attack with little or no respect.
Such were their dominance that the first 100 of the partnership came up in 120 minutes off 164 deliveries, the 150 in 161 minutes off 208 deliveries, and the 200 in 196 minutes off 302 deliveries with the boundary count at the end of it all reading 28 fours and three sixes - all three sixes to Hinds.
It was a partnership that saw Smith racing to 51 with eight boundaries in 100 minutes off 57 deliveries and setting the early pace before Hinds, who dashed to his first 50 six fours and one six in 102 minutes off 91 deliveries, took over and thrilled the fans with some power driving - particularly after tea when he scored 74 off 79 deliveries.
Without top pacers Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, the Indian opening attack was ordinary. Top spinners Kumble and offspinners Harbhajan Singh and Sarandeep Singh were in action, however, and they were manhandled as the 25-year-old Hinds, bidding for a recall to the West Indies team, and the 20-year-old Smith, hunting his Test debut, preened themselves on the brand new pitch.
The afternoon going into early evening belonged to Hinds, however, and in reducing Smith to a front row spectator, he played every stroke in the book - including two delicate sweeps followed by a drive through extra-cover off successive deliveries from Sarandeep Singh.
He was at his best while driving between mid-off and mid-on, however, and two of his sixes, over long-on off Kumble, and two straight drives off pacer Tinu Yohannan were strokes of awesome power and perfect timing.
