Windward Islands Volcanoes batsman Devon Smith says he relishes the contests between him and Jamaica Scorpions spinner Nikita Miller over the years.The Scorpions beat the visiting Volcanoes by 10 wickets in the fifth-round four-day cricket match, which ended at Sabina Park on Sunday with both veteran regional cricketers playing starring roles.

“I’m always looking forward to come up against Miller because we all know Miller is the one to get all the wickets, and he can just bowl from one end all day. He’s a wicket-taker, so all in all it’s a good challenge,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer in a post-match interview on Sunday.Miller, 35, the Scorpions captain and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, took the player of the match award thanks to a haul of 13-114 in a combined 61 overs and five balls. He also made 52 as part of a game-changing, ninth-wicket stand of 141 runs with century-maker Fabian Allen in the 352 the Jamaica franchise made in the first innings. Smith, 36, hit a polished 116 not out in his team’s first-innings score of 200. The left-hand opener’s 41 in the second innings was the joint top score in the Volcanoes’ 186.

Given the pivotal role they played for their respective teams, there was no shortage of clashes between the two. The one-on-one contest was particularly absorbing in the first innings. Smith, who made his first-class debut in the 1998-99 season, carried his bat the entire way, even as Miller seemed to bedazzle the other Volcanoes batsmen on a spinner-friendly pitch. Two runs to deep point off Miller’s bowling brought Smith to his century.Smith said back-up was needed at the other end to push the Scorpions onto the back foot.

“I think we needed to put a big first-innings total on the board, a total like 300 to put ourselves in a good position to draw the game or win the game. Scoring just 200 in the first innings you will always be behind the eighth ball,” he said.By the time Smith stepped out to bat in the second innings, the Scorpions were well and truly in charge with a 152-run lead. It did not stop the little Grenadian from showing his class, but nine runs short of the half-century landmark Miller had him offering a catch to short leg. And with his dismissal went the Volcanoes’ hope of an unlikely comeback.

It was one of many stamps Miller left on the game.And one of many in the last two outings after his 10-wicket match haul led the Scorpions to victory over hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes in St Kitts in the fourth round.

All the more remarkable is that these are Miller’s only two games of the season due to him missing the first three rounds after undergoing a haemorrhoid operation in September.Having been the top wicket-taker in the tournament last season with 58, he is already up to third in the bowling charts, only three wickets behind fellow left-arm finger spinner Veerasammy Permaul and wrist spinner Imran Khan. Those bowlers have tallied 26 victims each in five matches.

“I think it’s the first I’ve got so many wickets from two games. It’s the first I’m bowling in four consecutive innings and getting five wickets in each of them,” Miller, who made his first-class debut in January 2005, told journalists. The Jamaica Scorpions skipper also lauded the overall bowling effort.

“I think all the bowlers did well to restrict Windward Islands with Devon Smith, even though he got a century. He also got 41 in the second innings, which gave them a good start, but I think the pressure we created right throughout the innings was the telling factor,” he said.