Smith hero of young West Indies win

Former England batsman and coach David Lloyd has described Devon Smith as a star of the future after the little lefthander guided the West Indies Under-19 to a seven-wicket win over England Under-19 yesterday.

It was third time lucky for Smith as the Windies cruised to victory and a 2-1 win in the One-Day International series. The Grenadian showed his class at Hove on Friday and at Chelmsford with scores of 75 and 66, respectively. Yesterday he confirmed his class with a superb 102 not out, an innings described by Lloyd as sheer class and quality.

The entertaining innings saw the visitors reach their target of 183 with 12 overs to spare. He required just 113 balls to hammer the hosts, and hit 12 fours and two huge sixes on another warm, sunkissed day.

The young Windies looked like a team reborn after the disappointment of their 13-run defeat the previous day. They were all over England like a rash from the word go and should take heart for the forthcoming Tests.

Smith and partner Brenton Parchment started off like runaway trains, with Smith scoring 12 off the first over and by the sixth the pair had totalled an amazing 62. Once Parchment had gone, caught at slip for 14, Smith and Barbadian Patrick Browne who along with Rayon Thomas were the two new faces put on 77. Browne's 21 was the perfect foil for Smith's awesome power.

West Indies returned to their best form as they hustled England out in 47.5 overs. Kenroy Peters and Rayon Thomas, who was playing his first match in the One-Day trilogy, shared bowling honours.

Peters, from St Vincent, caught the eye for the third match in a row, his 8.5 overs saw him concede a miserly 22 runs while taking three wickets.

Thomas was quick and accurate throughout England's knock. He was rewarded with three wickets in his nine overs. He was more expensive than Peters, conceding 41 runs, but he did the job the team required.

It was only Kadeer Ali who offered any resistance as the visitors turned the screws. At one stage England were 71 for six and a threefigure total looked in doubt. Ali made a bright 54, which included six boundaries to give England hope.

He found someone to stay with him in the shape of Chris Tremlett who at 6 ft 7inches cuts an imposing figure at the crease. The pair put on 81 for the seventh wicket, with Tremlett's contribution 37.

The Windies can now look forward to the three-match Test series, which begins at Grace Road, Leicester, next Monday.