He might be putting a brave face on it, but deep down inside Clay Smith misses doing what he simply does best ? surgically dissecting opposing bowling attacks with the willow.

Physically, the past year has proven somewhat of a nightmare for Smith, who at 36 remains arguably the Island?s top batsman.

Smith?s health troubles rose to the fore during last summer?s ICC Trophy tournament where he had to retire hurt in an opening loss to hosts Ireland.

However, any despair soon turned to joy as Bermuda still managed to fulfil their goal of qualifying for next year?s World Cup in the Caribbean.

Months after having surgery to repair damaged tissue in his knee, Smith is already showing signs that he is eager to return to lead his country into a new era, and adding to his legacy as one of Bermuda?s best batsman of all-time.

?It?s frustrating to some degree not being able to participate like I would like to, but from a captain?s point of view it is good because it allows me the opportunity to really sit down and closely analyse some of our players,? he said, shortly after assisting national coach Gus Logie put the Island?s cricketers through a series of fielding drills in searing temperatures at Gilbert Park.

?We have a lot of players vying for positions and so from that aspect I think it?s a positive that I?m actually able to sit there and focus on individuals and monitor their performances,? he added.

As for his knee, Smith said: ?It?s coming along slowly but surely and realistically I?m looking at another two months of preparation getting myself back into shape and getting some strength back in my knee.

?Right now I?m basically walking early mornings before the team actually awakes and so for me this is a training camp as well to start the ball rolling again.?

Smith, who in 2004 became the first local batsmen to score three centuries in Cup Match, created one of the biggest stirs over the off-season when he resigned as player/coach of St.David?s, a team he led to a clean sweep of all domestic cricket honours in 2001.

The national team skipper, who says he will still represent champions St.David?s in the Eastern Counties, has taken up a new role at Cleveland County as player/coach.

Smith said he hopes to be back out in the middle by mid-summer.

?I will be looking to play some domestic cricket and I?m basically shooting for mid-June beginning of July,? he told . ?That?s what I?m targeting and I will just have to wait and see how my knee feels. But I?m not going to push it and Cleveland already know my priority remains with the national team.

?So I will be working my training sessions around the national team and so some of the senior players will obviously have to take some of the responsibility with some of the training sessions.

?The guys at Cleveland are very keen and have a passion for the game and they are just hungry for information. So far we have had a few training sessions and things have gone tremendously well, and I?m looking forward to basically help establish a team that can hold their own in the Premier Division.?

The veteran cricketer, who struck successive centuries representing Bermuda in the former Red Stripe Bowl in the Caribbean against Antigua and Jamaica, has also ruled himself out of this summer?s Cup Match classic where he holds multiple batting records with elder brother Wendell, and Glenn Blakeney.

And Smith admitted making the decision not to play was not an easy one to make.

?I do have some degree of remorse because I know how much Cup Match means to the people of Bermuda,? he said. ?I would love to be able to play but realistically because of the extent of my injury in order to give my country the best of my ability I think it?s in my best interest not to go ahead and play.

?It is not a decision that has been forced on me, but more a decision that I personally made. I can?t see myself out there playing two long days and then going on a trip (to Canada; ICC Intercontinental Cup) the next day and being able to give one hundred percent.

?I?ll probably be just coming back and physically wouldn?t be hundred percent fit in terms of my conditioning at that stage. So for me to give my best to my country I think it?s in my best interest not to play.?

As for breaking full-time ties at Lords, Smith lamented: ?It was hard to leave St.David?s who have been like a family to me. They really worked with me through thick and thin and we achieved some marvellous things down there in winning a couple of league titles and trophies.

?Overall I really enjoyed my time down there, but it comes a time for me as an individual I am about sharing my knowledge and doing things to keep myself motivated on the domestic scene.?