Mansfield (Bojangles) Smith, has slammed the champions' Cup Match selection.

In a Letter to Sports Mailbox (see Page 19), Smith questioned the decision to omit top bowler Clarkie Trott in favour of colt Ryan Steede. Trott, with 45 wickets this season, has since stated publicly that he will not be contesting a Cup Match place again.

Smith, whose sons Clay and Wendell are members of the five-man selection committee, also hit out at the failure to select an in-form opening batsman.

His choice would have been Dexter Smith who has scored 533 runs this season and deserved a recall. Smith said if anybody deserved a `free ride' it should have been youngster Chris Foggo to groom him for the opening spot.

Smith does defend Clay after the criticism he received for his late declaration on the second day, saying that had he declared and lost he would have been "fired as captain forever''.

He says Somerset killed any chance of victory on the first day of Cup Match by not being positive enough.