Clay Smith vowed never to play for St. George's again after being dropped from their Cup Match team on Saturday night.

The player rated as the Island's top batsman swung a broad bat at the club's management and selectors with the pledge, just moments after hearing that he had been omitted from the team.

The move was not altogether surprising as it had been rumoured since he departed the club for neighbours St. David's. And despite a three-hour knock of 45 not out in the President's XI victory in the final trial match, Smith failed to impress the selectors as the vote went against him 3-2.

"I'm very disappointed, yes, but I did expect it, simply because I know my selectors,'' said an emotional Smith.

"Two of the selectors on the committee were on there when I was trying to get Noel Gibbons recalled two seasons ago and they told me then that regardless of how many runs Noel scored he would never play Cup Match.

"So with me leaving and going over to St. David's, and them being on the selection committee, I definitely felt uneasy because I know those two in particular would have the same attitude towards me for going to St. David's.

"I had always expected that in two or three years' time I would return to St.

George's in cricket and football because this is where my heart has been, but as of right now I have probably played my last Cup Match and my last league game for St. George's. I'm totally disappointed with the people.'' It had been suggested that the manner in which Smith left St. George's -- not informing the club beforehand -- led to his omission but president Louis DeSilva confirmed that a letter had been received from the former captain informing them of his intentions.

Since his departure Smith has received bad vibes from several club members and supporters so he knew he had to produce on Saturday. The innings, which lasted one minute short of three hours, was a patient one as he hit five boundaries after surviving a dropped chance by Charlie Marshall in the slips while in the 20s.

"I knew even if I scored 100 runs that those two were not going to select me, so it didn't come as a surprise at all,'' said the 28-year-old.

Smith is a veteran of 11 Cup Matches and though he has not had as productive a season as last year, scoring 212 runs, he had been seen as a valuable member of the St. George's team.

"I haven't had one of my better seasons but when you look at the averages I am still in the top 25 in Bermuda,'' said Smith.

"It didn't come down to averages or how many runs I scored, it came down to personalities. People in St. George's just aren't appreciative of Clay Smith and the things he has done over the years.

"Yes, they can say they gave me a scholarship to go off to school but when they sit back and look, before I came through their ranks they had only won a knockout trophy.

"Since Dean (Minors) and I have come through they have won four league titles, four Camel Cups and two knockouts, but today shows me how appreciative they are of what I have done in the past.'' Smith says it will be the Cup Match spectators who will be robbed. He finds it contradictory that while St. George's allowed Somerset to consider about five or six players for selection despite not having paid their dues by a specific time as agreed by the two clubs, they chose to omit one of their own top players.

"I'm upset more for the public of Bermuda -- they are the ones who have really been robbed,'' said Smith.

"It's like going down to the West Indies to watch a Test match and Brian Lara is not playing. The people of Bermuda deserve to see the best cricketers in Bermuda. I haven't rated myself but the public have rated me as one of the best cricketers in Bermuda.'' Smith, who disappointed many by choosing to make his Cup Match debut in 1987 rather than represent Bermuda in the International Youth Tournament, now says his priority is his league club and the national team. He is due to travel to Canada in early August for a tour with the Bermuda team and later in the year is looking to play in the Red Stripe Bowl.

"My number priority is the Bermuda national team,'' he stressed. "As a youngster I made that mistake of putting Cup Match before the national squad but since then I have matured and I have realised that my number one priority should be the national squad.''