"Leave it alone!'' So says St. David's' skipper Clay Smith to those who would have the Eastern Counties alter the current format.

Annually cries come from sports commentators and armchair critics to have the Counties alter the playing conditions to guarantee victory for any one team.

This year was no different, with complaints voiced again that the system was slowly draining the life from the competition via its promotion of negative tactics by the holders.

Much of this came after St. David's forced Bailey's Bay to field until 6.30 p.m. during the second round before asking them to bat. Bay refused thus forfeiting the match.

However, Smith, who as the captain of champion St. David's, stood squarely in the midst of the firing line, remains steadfast that such requests be rebuffed.

"Personally I don't think they should change (format),'' said Smith, no stranger to controversy. "This is a tournament that goes way back and is a part of heritage and, basically, they'd be changing what people back then worked hard for.

"If anything I can only see them recommending that the last team bat 30 overs minimum, but outside of that I don't think things should change at all.'' The early order batsman was not even willing to entertain suggestions from dad Mansfield (Bojangles) Smith, who, in a letter to Sports Mailbox suggested the team batting first be allowed a maximum of 70 overs and that batting second at least 40, while using open cricket rules.

He drew a comparison to Cup Match where Somerset and St. George's are asked to get through two innings in two days, with the result often a draw.

"I just think that to get a result in one-day cricket in Bermuda you're asking a lot of the players,'' continued the younger Smith. "Because, basically, you're asking the players to go out there and play a lot of rash shots and entertain the crowd, which is really not cricket to some degree.

"Even in Cup Match it's asking a lot of the players and to get a result one team really has to have a bad day.

"But, like I've said, if we could get two out of three victories every series I don't think that's a bad ratio.'' Smith would dearly like a positive result in his side's favour today when the Islanders tackle Flatts in the final of the Eastern Counties at Sea Breeze Oval (10.00 a.m.).

Upholding tradition: Clay Smith, the St. David's skipper, isn't in favour of a change to the controversial rules which govern Eastern Counties cricket.