Carlton Smith is one of those cricketers who doesn?t make a real fuss about anything and prefers to stay away from the limelight.

Yet last Sunday at Wellington Oval the Cleveland County opening batsman found himself in unfamiliar territory ? that of being the centre of attention ? after hammering a career best 145 runs and then grabbing three wickets for 24 runs to inspire the East Enders to a hard-fought 39-run triumph over Leg Trappers.

Smith?s knock is the highest so far in senior domestic cricket and second highest overall behind Warwick batsman Stephen Bremar jr who smashed an unbeaten 150 representing a local youth XI against visiting Haverfield College at the National Sports Centre last month.

The burly Cleveland batsman clobbered 21 fours and four sixes during a magnificent 141 ball innings lasting exactly 200 minutes, sharing in a 80 run first-wicket partnership with Courtney Trott (22) and then adding an additional 112 runs for the second wicket with Kevin Shield (33).

Smith also featured in a 67 run fifth-wicket partnership with Aaron Adams (41) before he became the last Cleveland wicket to fall in the 50th over, five runs shy of another half-century.

It was an achievement the Cleveland veteran of 15 seasons will long cherish.

?That was the best innings of my career mainly because I never took any unnecessary risks,? Smith told .

?I decided to put my head down and be patient in the beginning. I just watched the ball outside the off stump and refused to do any unnecessary flashing with the bat.?

However, once the home side surpassed the 200 mark, Smith, nephew of former Warwick and St.George?s Cup Match star batsman Lloyd James, loosened his broad shoulders and tore into the opposition?s bowling.

?I was patient in the beginning but decided to open my shoulders towards the end of the innings because the overs were running out and we had wickets in hand,? Smith smiled.

In 1961 James smashed 157 runs for St.George?s at Wellington Oval in Cup Match and then followed up the very next year with an unbeaten 173 ? a record that stood until Janeiro Tucker set a new mark (186) at Wellington Oval in 2001.

What makes Smith?s massive innings all the more significant is the fact it was his first competitive match having to face the harder white ball.

?We just started practising with the white ball in training last week (Thursday),? he added. ?I think they tend to move a bit more than the red ball maybe for the first ten overs or so.?

Smith first took to cricket while attending Harrington Sound Primary and Berkeley Institute Secondary schools. He is also the recipient of good batting advice from famed uncle Lloyd.

?He (James) has always given me good advice except for one occasion when it didn?t work out,? Smith said. ?He once told me that he used to go down to Warwick Long Bay for a swim early in the morning before Cup Match.

?So I tried it once before an Eastern Counties match but got a three-ball duck. Aaron (Adams) and myself opened the innings and I got caught behind off Braithwaite (former Bailey?s Bay fast bowler Anthony Braithwaite). And I haven?t been for a swim before a county match since.?

Smith?s century last weekend was the second achieved by a Cleveland batsman in two weekends behind team skipper Jason Simons who cracked 114 off 109 balls.

So far Cleveland have enjoyed good success having already clinched the Fourth Division Two Day League and holding their own in limited overs cricket.

Smith attributes his team?s good turn of fortune down to commitment, dedication and the arrival of player/coach Clay Smith.

?The vibe in the camp at the moment is wonderful because everyone is taking their game very seriously. Last year we didn?t have a coach and so we just went through the motions and were relegated,? Smith explained.

?But we have taken on a new coach (Clay Smith) who is a proven winner and I think his presence alone has inspired others in the team.

?Clay is very approachable and you can ask him any question you want because he is more than willing to help.?