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Clay Smith says St. George's is going to 'blow away Somerset' as he makes his final Cup Match appearance.

The legendary batsman believes Somerset's bowling 'doesn't have any substance' and the blue and blue should score 400 runs easily.

Smith, one of the all-time greats in the summer classic, said with his bad knee and a preponderance of talent at the east end, it's time for him to step aside. But he still believes he deserves his spot this year and has at least one more big innings in him.

"I've had continuous knee issues," Smith said. "St. George's have such an abundance of youth coming through it's the right time for me to step aside. My first Cup Match was at Somerset so it's good to finish at Somerset."

In yesterday's Royal Gazette, prolific letter-writer Recman, aka George Holdipp, said he was in 'absolute disgust' that Smith was chosen for St. George's and the selectors should be "arrested and charged with cruel and unusual punishment" for selecting Smith and his 'wonky knee.'

Smith said: "I was a bit surprised at Recman's comments, but he as much as anybody should know, that when it comes to Cup Match, Clay Smith will step up to the plate and produce the goods. I've proven it time and time again. I'm a big day player. If I didn't feel that I was capable of playing the two days, I simply wouldn't put myself in the position of having to go through it."

Smith said that if all the national team players had been here, he would have had to fight for his spot in the squad a bit harder, "but I'm still more than capable. I value my position just as much as anyone else does. Hopefully, I'll be able to reward St. George's for selecting me."

He said that while Charlie Marshall was a miracle man for still being able to produce into his late 40s, if Smith had good health he could see himself playing until he was 40.

"Do to my health position I have to listen to my body and respect the game myself."

However, he doesn't rule out a comeback at some point in the future.

"If St. George's were ever in this position again with several players away and they called upon me to come out of retirement, then only in that situation I would come back out because I bleed blue and blue. St. George's will always be in my heart."

So how will St. George's do in this year's match?

"I honestly feel we're going to blow Somerset away. Looking at the Somerset lineup - they're very short in batting and their bowling doesn't have any substance. With the experience that we have in St. George's, I don't feel there's anybody that's going to contain our batting order from scoring 300 or 400 runs easily. I can't see them stopping us"

He said the new ball duo of Gregg Foggo and Ryan Steede should have little problem with Somerset's top of the order.

"These two guys are firing on all cylinders. I can't see Somerset sustaining what we're bringing to the table."

Smith is hoping to add to his Cup Match legacy.

He said one of the highlights of his Cup Match career was scoring a century in the same game as his brother Wendell in 1992, with both men at the wicket to see each other reach the milestone. Clay scored 108 and Wendell 129.

"It was very memorable as we dedicated it to our great-grandpa Ralph Smith."

Clay stands third overall in runs scored. The man in front of him? His brother Wendell. Clay has 1,048 runs while Wendell is at 1,143. Clay would have to get another 100 to surpass his brother for second overall.

"It would great to achieve that and go out with a 100. That would be awesome, but this is cricket and it just takes one ball (to get you out). I'm going to take it one ball at a time and whatever is meant to be, is meant to be."

Clay's first Cup Match was in 1987 and he says the atmosphere of the game is as great as ever, but the bowling has been in steep decline.

"When I first came through I was faced with the baptism of Terry Burgess and 'Pacer' Edwards, followed by Robert 'Jumping Jack' Hinds. Those are three of the fastest bowlers every to grace Bermuda.

"Nowadays you have the same effort, but you don't have the same quality."

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