BY AZAD ALI From Caribbean Life

Veteran Grenadian and former West Indies batsman Devon Smith has been recalled to the 13-man West Indies squad for the Sri Lanka three-Test series in the Caribbean this month.

Smith, 37, last played international cricket on England’s three-Test tour of the Caribbean when he managed just 94 runs from four innings.

However, he struck form in the last first-class season, amassing a record-breaking 1,095 runs at an average of 84, with six centuries to surpass 13,000 career runs

Smith had been one of only seven batsmen to pass 600 runs the previous season and prior to that in the 2015-16 campaign, topped the batting charts with 719 runs, but at the highest level, he is averaging 24.50 in 38 Tests so far, with one century.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) Chairman of selectors, Courtney Browne said Smith’s heavy scoring had forced the selectors to give him a chance.

However, there was no room for wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who scored 799 runs from 10 matches at an average of 61.6.

The former West Indies captain scored three centuries and four half-centuries, while leading a youthful Red Force team.

West Indies A One-Day captain, Jahmar Hamilton, is the lone uncapped player in the squad, despite one of his poor first-class scores in recent years where he scrapped 237 runs at an average of 16 for the Leeward Island Hurricanes.

There was also no place for Jamaican Jermaine Blackwood in the squad, who has averaged 30 in 27 Tests.

The team will be led by Jason Holder.’

West Indies will clash with Sir Lanka in Tests at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground and Kensington Oval from June 6-27.

The final Test at Kensington Oval will be a historic day/night game.

For more on this story go to: https://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/stories/2018/5/2018-06-08-azad-windies-batsman-smith-recalled-to-squad-cl.html

IMAGE: Devon Smith SportsMax