NEWS of West Indian Test batsman Dwayne Smith's debut century against South Africa on Tuesday raised one or two eyebrows in Kington, writes Richard Prime.

Twenty-year-old Smith, who thrashed a South African attack including Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini to reach his ton off just 93 balls with 15 fours and two sixes, was the border club's professional during the 2002 season.

And his first appearance on English soil could hardly have been more of a contrast with his spectacular unbeaten 105 at Cape Town for he was dismissed first ball on his debut for Kington against Old Elizabethans.

The youngster, who plays for Barbados, struggled to come to terms with the slower pace of English pitches at the age of just 19 and made more of an impression as an opening bowler than as a batsman.

"It was his first time abroad and he showed great potential with both bat and ball," said Kevin Gwynne, who captained Kington during the 2002 season.

"He was a lovely lad but he didn't adapt that quickly to our pitches. Unfortunately, just when the harder pitches were coming in July, he was called back to play for Barbados in the West Indian domestic tournament which started early because of the World Cup.

"But he's a very clean hitter of the ball and it was a fantastic hundred."

Smith will no doubt be looking to build on his initial success and should be an integral part of the West Indian batting line-up when England arrive in the Caribbean for a Test series in March.