Trying to make the case for Devon Smith

Devon Smith does warm-up excercise

Whenever I think about Devon Smith, an image of a smirking Mohammad Hafeez often pops into my mind. I suspect Smith is tormented by this apparition too, especially in his more contemplative moments. For those who cannot make the connection, Hafeez is the part-time off-spinner from Pakistan who dismissed Smith five out of five times (six if you count the World Cup match in Dhaka weeks earlier) during a Test and One Day International (ODI) series in the Caribbean in 2011. Smith's highest score in the games was 17 and by the time Hafeez knocked back his stumps in the final match at Providence in Guyana, you could not help but feel someone's destiny was hanging by the thinnest of threads.

To his credit Smith has bounced back with the kind of performances in domestic cricket which have left people in the Caribbean tentatively talking about a recall to the West Indies team. In six matches in this season's regional first class competition, the Grenadian has scored 682 runs at an average 85.25, with three centuries and a half century. And, there is still a semi-final and potential final for him to improve these numbers. He has also helped the Windward Islands to the Regional Super50 title with a season-leading 348 runs, including a century and three half centuries. It is no wonder that the Grenada sports minister, Emmalin Pierre, has said that Smith should be allowed to resume his international career.

The problem with selecting him, however, is that you would have to ignore his history, a thing that is hard to do. Since making his debut with a solid half century against  Australia in 2003, he has been left out of the regional team five times due to poor performances. One century and five half centuries in 33 Tests with an average 24.71 makes Carl Hooper look like an over-achiever. And, in his 42 ODIs the story is not much better with an average 26.68. If there is a great master of cricket somewhere waiting to see bountiful returns deserving of the talents that have been bestowed on the little left-hander, he is going to be miserably disappointed. 

West Indies playing England at Lords in 2012

The problem of a Smith return to the West Indies team is further exacerbated by the recruiting of other players, with relative success, to fill the spot which would have otherwise been his.  Kieron Powell has started life with the 'big boys' slowly but is making steady progress, and supporting Chris Gayle well. Not far behind him is Kraigg Brathwaite, who, despite making his Test debut at 19, has shown the type of patience and application that makes you wonder if he is even West Indian. And then there is Johnson Charles, Lendl Simmons and even Adrian Barath.

Of course, none of these guys come close to being the regional run-scoring 'bully' that Smith has been. He has always scored heavily in domestic cricket, starting with the 700-plus runs he amassed in the 2002 regional first class season. Back then he deserved his selection, just as these guys in their 20s deserve their opportunities now.  It is unfortunate that he did not show the appetite for life at the highest level in that first attempt, and then spurned several subsequent opportunities to hold onto his place. Today, at 31, the case for another selection is much harder to make.

At this time the West Indies team need fearless batsmen, especially at the top of the order. They need batsmen, who will stare down their opponents like Vivian Richards used to, and stand up and fight like Shivnarine Chanderpaul has done on so many occasions. Too often in the past Smith, like several of his contemporaries, has surrendered, seemingly even before walking to crease. 

Should he play for the West Indies again? Of course. However, not before proper considerations are given to others to show what they can do. The selectors have rightly included him in the provisional 30-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in England and Wales later this year. I do not expect him to make the final 15, but if he does, I hope he has the courage this time to stand up to the smirking little man from Pakistan.

Devon Smith has subsequently been named in the Champions Trophy squad