CD Stag Ben Smith smiles after an LBW from a Jesse Ryder delivery. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
Traditionally batsmen don't smile when they lose their wicket but Ben Smith could afford a wry one yesterday in Napier.
The Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags opener had fallen prey to Jesse Ryder - trapped lbw - on 112 runs on the third day of the four-day Plunket Shield match against the Otago Volts.
It was a smile of accomplishment for the 23-year-old after Ryder vociferously asked the question and umpire Tony Gillies obliged with his index finger before the bowler ritualistically pointed the way to the changing room.
The Ruahine Motors Ford Central Hawke's Bay cricketer had carved up his second first-class century from 207 balls after sitting on an unbeaten 75 overnight on a rain-shortened Monday.
"It's obviously the first game of the season so it's pretty exciting to get one [century] first up," he said last night as the Kruger van Wyk-captained hosts found themselves in the box seat with the visitors, with six wickets in hand, needing 180 more runs to make CD bat again.
Ironically Smith's career maiden ton, 133 not out, came in the opening shield game last summer against the Wellington Firebirds at the Basin Reserve.
However, the CD right-hander played the collective card after a patient knock that included 10 boundaries and a six from 244 balls during his 336-minute stay on the batting crease.
"We all know that the job is only half done ... ," he said, reflecting on his 100-run opening partnership with veteran Jamie How on day two after the Heinrich Malan-coached CD skittled Otago for 207 runs on day one.
Rain robbed the players of a lion's share of the game on day two but yesterday the dark clouds kept their distance.
In many respects, Smith's acknowledgement of the team effort is on the button because every other batsmen got into promising double figures before the Stags declared at 435-6 in 147 overs.
How (42 runs), George Worker (35), Will Young (49), Greg Hay (25), Van Wyk (28) contributed, while Kieran Noema-Barnett (37) and Black Cap Doug Bracewell (73) were unbeaten on the crease.
But Malan has emphasised to his troops, especially the younger batsmen, that the honeymoon phase is over and they need to turn starts into three-figure deposits to the cause.
"We have this season talked about getting not just hundreds but big hundreds," Smith said, mindful he was among batsmen who teetered on the ton mark three times last summer only to cash in his wicket.
He attributed yesterday's effort to hard work in winter.
"It's always nice to see some results in the end after the long winter," he said, revealing he worked throughout with Malan at the indoor facility in Napier.
"We looked at a few things from last winter to try to improve on that."
Smith, who made his debut in 2010-11 with 58 runs against the Firebirds, was playing his 22nd game yesterday for CD in whites.
The Stags were woodenspooners in the two white-ball formats last season and second-last in the shield competition.
If there was any complacency on last summer's performance then it must have felt like a staggered fruit-picking season in Hawke's Bay for the Southerners with bowlers toiling for one or two wickets.
Smith is making all the right noises for an opening batsman who has to endure the new-ball merchants.
"Obviously with the new ball you have to be quite selective with where you play your shots," he said, blissfully aware the deliveries a batsman leaves are equally significant to the ones he drives with discipline in the "V" zone in front of him.
"That's where we set the tone and that's where we were strong."
He was relieved to have brought up his century before Otago captain Aaron Redman took the new ball.
"It's tough to negotiate your way through a new ball again but Young came in and we established another partnership," said the wicketkeeper-in-waiting to Van Wyk.
He lauded the bowlers' four wickets to put CD in an exciting position "to nail it in the head" on a balmy 23C today.