Clay Smith will stay on as coach of Eastern Counties champions Cleveland County.

Smith has agreed to the terms of a deal that will keep him at the Harris Bay club at least until the end of the 2016 season.

“Clay has committed to another year and we are happy that he has decided to,” Carlton Smith, the Cleveland club president, said. “There is a limited amount of quality coaches out there and he is one of the best and we are happy to have him here with us.”

Smith, the former St George’s and Bermuda batsman, was appointed by the Bermuda Cricket Board as the Island’s new senior national coach on Thursday.

“We are very excited for the club and the country about Clay’s appointment as national coach,” Smith added. “Clay has already assured us that there will be no issue or conflict of interest being with us and the national squad.”

Upon being appointed as senior national coach, Smith vowed to bring the passion back to Bermuda cricket and believes that reinstalling a lost national pride, instilling a greater work ethic, and his own enthusiasm can change the Island’s fortunes.

“It [the national job] is something that I have aspired to for quite some time,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to the massive challenge of getting us back to the standard of cricket that we are used to seeing.

“I strongly believe there is an abundance of talent in this country, but we really need to focus on having a strong work rate, commitment and attention to detail.”

Smith has replaced Arnold Manders as the man tasked with lifting the senior team out of Division Four of the World Cricket League.