Record-breaking Smith, steady Permaul top Regional 4-Day performers

LEFT-HANDERS Devon Smith of Windward Islands Volcanoes and Veerasammy Permaul of Guyana Jaguars were the top individual performers in the 2017-18 Digicel 4-Day Championship which ended on Sunday.

Smith gathered 1,095 runs at an average of 84.23 to cover himself in personal glory. He became the fourth batsman to score more than 1,000 runs in a single Windies first-class season and establish a new record for the most runs in a single Windies first-class season.

It was a remarkable achievement for the veteran left-handed opener, considering he reached the mark in just 10 matches. He earns the Viv Richards Award and a US$1,500 cheque.

Permaul collected exactly 50 wickets at 18.90 apiece. It is the second time that the left-arm spinner has finished with the most wickets in a season. He earns the Courtney Walsh Award and a US$1,500 prize.

Jaguars’ Anthony Bramble effected 45 dismissals, comprising 42 catches and three stumpings. He was the leading wicketkeeper this season and takes the Deryck Murray Award and a US$1,500 cheque, the same amount that has been secured by Jonathan Carter, who also earned the Clive Lloyd Award for holding 17 catches in the field.

Two other individual awards, chosen by the selection panel of Cricket West Indies, have been announced.

John Campbell of Jamaica Scorpions has earned the Malcolm Marshall Award and a US$1,500 payday for being the top all-rounder, having accumulated 603 runs at an average of 43.07 and collected 19 wickets at 24.52 apiece.

Shermon Lewis of Windward Islands Volcanoes has won the Andy Roberts Award and a US$1,000 cheque for being the most promising fast bowler. He collected 30 wickets at 21.70 apiece in his first full season of the #D4-Day.

Champions Guyana Jaguars also pocketed US$36,000, comprising US$15,000 for winning the Championship and US$21,000 for winning seven matches.

For winning each match, the teams gained US$3,000. As a result, Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions earned US$9,000, and Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Windward Islands Volcanoes and Trinidad & Tobago Red Force collected US$6,000.