Clay Smith has withdrawn his services from the national selection/outreach committee.The former Bermuda and St George’s Cup Match skipper confirmed that he has resigned from the post but declined to give his reasons for doing so.Smith’s resignation arrives on the heels of the announcement that Bermuda will host the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division Three Tournament next spring.The national selection/outreach committee was established late last year and tasked with reviewing and ratifying training or touring squads submitted by national coach David Moore.Former West Indies coach Moore forms part of the five-man selection panel that also consists of Allan Douglas, Reggie Tucker Jr and chairman Derek Wright.In recent times Smith has expressed dismay over the current state of the senior national cricket programme which he claims is at “its lowest point ever”.During Bermuda’s miserable ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers in Dubai earlier this year Smith publicly lashed out at the team’s poor showing in his weekly Royal Gazette column.He said players failed to execute and were “tactically poor” and also took issue with team selection which he termed as “baffling”.Smith, who ran unsuccessfully for the presidency of Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) at the board’s last annual general meeting, was also critical of David Hemp continuing on as Bermuda’s senior national cricket team captain.In the lead-up to this year’s ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers in Dubai senior national cricketers called for Hemp to be sacked as captain. Disgruntled players complained about the gulf that exists between themselves and UK based Hemp.In his Gazette column, Smith wrote: “Players feel there is a massive disconnect between them and the captain. Unfortunately, with Hemp living overseas it is difficult for him to build a relationship with his team-mates; to know the players’ personalities, strengths and weaknesses and how they respond in pressure situations etc.“I have had several players approach me and say unless things change don’t call me, they refuse to play under the current set-up. Some have made their intentions clear; unless something changes at the top they won’t be back.”Smith reckons that Bailey’s Bay batsman Stephen Outerbridge should be the man leading Bermuda’s senior national cricket squad rather than former English County player Hemp.“The time for Stephen Outerbridge to be inserted as captain is now so he can reconnect what has been disconnected,” he declared. “Stephen has all of the attributes that a captain must have; he is passionate, a student of the game, tactically sound, a great motivator, and leads by example both on and off the field.“Stephen is enthusiastic about the job and has pride in representing Bermuda, he communicates effectively with his players, has the respect of them, and is always willing to listen and learn.“Personally, I feel that David Hemp came into Bermuda cricket at a time when we needed him and he made a significant contribution to our cricket. His professionalism was clear for all of us to see and he always set an impeccable example for the rest of the team. However, like every good show it must come to an end, and while he is still playing I feel it is important that we breed a new skipper for the future.“The timing is perfect and the BCB must act now. If we are looking for change, Stephen Outerbridge should be and has to be inserted as captain of Bermuda ASAP in order to revive cricket at the national level.”