Bermuda national cricket team skipper Clay Smith made his official debut for new club Cleveland County on Sunday at Wellington Oval ? his first visit to the crease in nine months.

The game marked Smith?s first competitive match since he underwent knee surgery last February in the US.

The veteran batsman transferred to Cleveland during the winter months late last year after spending five highly successful seasons at St.David?s where he coached the Islanders to multiple cup titles, including a clean sweep of Premier Division honours in 2001.

Speaking to , Smith explained: ?Yesterday was more or less a test for me to see how the knee would respond during a minimum workout. I minimised my effort yesterday by batting at number eight and went in to bat with five overs (remaining in the innings).

?So it was more or less like having a slight run out to see where I am and not try to do too much too soon, basically.

?The knee felt okay running between the wickets and I didn?t have any problems batting wise. But whether or not I will play next weekend remains to be seen because I don?t want to rush back too soon.?

The past three weeks have seen Smith ? who scored 16 against Willow Cuts ? place specific emphasis on strengthening his knee, which, according to the Whitney Institute school teacher, ?feels really good.?

Smith, however, ruled out any possibility of representing Bermuda during next month?s Stanford Twenty/20 Tournament in Antigua ? and possibly even Cup Match.

Only last week Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) released a squad of 13 players to compete against Jamaica in next month?s cricket spectacle in Antigua.

?The Stanford Twenty/20 team has already been picked and I?m not even trying to make that squad because my whole focus and goal is to make sure I get back in August,? Smith said. ?And even then because August is such a hectic schedule, my playing time will probably be sporadic at first.?

It has been Smith?s goal all along to try and resume his international playing career at August?s ICC Intercontinental Cup Tournament in Toronto.

Last August saw Smith guide Bermuda to the ICC Intercontinental Cup Americas Group title and a place in the semi-finals of the international competition.

This August will see Bermuda compete in the Intercontinental Cup, Americas Cup Tournament and five One-Day Internationals involving hosts Canada and Kenya.

However, Smith said he might have to limit his involvement, depending on how well his knee holds up.

?I might have to still pick and choose my games because for me this is a slow process back as opposed to jumping right back into it,? he added.

?But whether or not I feel that I am up to par that early in August still remains to be seen because playing at the international level, it is a whole different ball game and I am really going to have to be up to my best.?

The gifted batsman has accompanied the national squad on recent tours and assisted in various other capacities while indulging in light workouts and drills on the side.

As for Cup Match, Smith noted: ?Cup Match is a long way away and truthfully I know for the benefit of Bermuda it?s probably in my best interest not to play.

?But at the same time I know St.George?s will probably be asking and so it is a decision that I will have to make closer to Cup Match.

?There?s a 70 percent chance I won?t play because my focus is definitely with Bermuda. But I don?t want to go on record and say that I am not going to play.?

A West All-Star middle schools XI defeated their Eastern counterparts by two wickets at the National Sports Centre last Friday.

East batted first and posted 113, led by Bailey?s Bay all-rounder Tre Govia who top scored with 26 while Travis DeSousa added a useful 16.

Donte Darrell was the pick of the West?s bowling, claiming figures of two for 22.

In reply, West piled up 114 with Deunty Darrell (33) and Greg Maybury (24) paving the way to victory.

Mackie Simmons and Govia claimed three for 27 and two for 20 respectively.