Clay Smith, arguably Bermuda?s premier batsman, could be rested for tomorrow?s first ODI against Canada at Toronto Cricket Club.

Smith grafted a patient 84 on his official return to the international cricket arena against Canada in Toronto earlier this week during the Intercontinental Cup. He also scored 33 runs in the first innings.

However, the veteran batsman has now decided to leave his fate in the hands of the team?s selectors, who, at some point in time, will announce the squad to take on Canada in Toronto on Saturday and next Monday.

?Basically I?m not looking to take any part in the one dayers unless someone else gets injured and the coach sees fit to include me in the team,? said Smith, who took his Intercontinental Cup tally to 668 runs.

?I would be more than willing to go in and play, but I think the team we have is a very good one day squad. If you look at our guys most of them like to strike the ball, and that?s their game basically.?

Apart from a little stiffness in his right knee, Smith said physically he is fine.

?It?s to be expected after spending so much time at the wicket and fielding out over the last four days. But mentally I?m a little disheartened because I felt after going that far I should have been able to carry the team to a position whereby we couldn?t lose,? he added.

?And it was sad to see all of that hard work go in vain. But I guess that?s cricket and as a player and a coach I always believe that it?s the responsibility of the batsmen who get stuck in to see the game through.

?Some guys like Mukuddem (Saleem) and Dean (Minors) never got started and for the guys that did get set I felt it was their responsibility because they were already in to get the job done.

?So I was a little disheartened not being able to see my innings through and seeing us to a comfortable position whereas we couldn?t lose the game.? Along with interim skipper Irving Romaine, Smith set a new Bermuda record for the third wicket (108 runs), achieved in 50 overs of ?intense? pressure.

?I haven?t been put under that kind of pressure for a long time,? Smith said. ?But from a batting aspect it was good to be back in the middle in a battle.

?I was up to the task of it all and to be back in a battle like that was good and that is what playing for your national squad is all about. As a player I personally thrive off that type of challenge, but at the end of the day I just got out to a fantastic catch.?

Smith smashed ten fours and three sixes during his 225-ball innings, one of which struck Bermudian spectator and former Dandy Town football coach, Willis Dill, on the right leg.

Dillas was preoccupied at the time sitting in the bleachers.

Fortunately, though, he wasn?t seriously injured.

?When I hit the ball I was aware that the ball went in his vicinity but I wasn?t sure whether it actually hit him or not because he never moved,? recalled Smith, who predicts his team, Cleveland County, will win tomorrow?s Eastern Counties at Sea Breeze Oval.

Smith represents champions St.David?s in the annual summer classic, but is also player/coach of a Cleveland side that hasn?t won the coveted cup since 1981.

?My team has worked tremendously hard all season and they honestly deserve to win,? Smith said.

In their first season under Smith?s watch, Cleveland have clinched promotion in both the two-day and limited overs leagues.

Smith added: ?Before I left (for Toronto) I mapped out a two-week programme for the team to train and they have been spinning at the Olympic Club and simulating game situations at St.George?s Cricket Club to help build themselves up for county cup.

?And this is a Cleveland team that I can honestly say deserve to win the cup, and I wish them all the best of luck.

?This is the team that I have coached all season, I am backing them 100 percent and I also believe in them even though I also play for St.David?s.?