Devon Smith became the first batsman to cross the mark of 11,000 career runs in the Championship to lead a steady reply from Windward Islands Volcanoes who are chasing a mammoth 381 by the Jamaica Scorpions in Grenada.

Paul Palmer defied a career-best spell from left-arm pacer Preston McSween to hit his third career hundred, his second this season to extend the Jamaica Scorpions first innings.

However, the left-handed Smith carried the label of the most prolific batsman in the Championship to new heights, when he got a single off Jamie Merchant’s off-spin to move to 37 before Kavem Hodge was adjudged lbw two deliveries later to the same bowler.

Volcanoes were 79 for two, but Smith, unbeaten on 67, and fellow Grenadian Andre Fletcher, not out on 22, shared 53 unbroken for the third wicket to steady the innings.

Earlier, McSween ended with 6-64 from 25 overs, but Palmer was undefeated on 114 and anchored the lower half of the Scorpions batting after they continued from their overnight total of 285 for three.

Scorpions lost first-day century-maker Nkrumah Bonner lbw to former West Indies Under-19 World Cup-winning pacer Ryan John in the second over of the day for the top score of 135.

Bonner and Palmer had put on a record 162 for the fourth wicket, which eclipsed the previous Jamaica mark against these opponents; 126 between Palmer and West Indies international Brandon King two seasons ago at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia.

The visitors were 290 for four and required Palmer to draw on all of his experience to frustrate the Volcanoes and farm the bowling.

None of the other batsmen that came to the crease on the day reached 20 with McSween cleaning up four of them.