St.David?s player/coach Clay Smith is taking new guard in his cricketing life.

The Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday announced his appointment as the Island?s new senior captain, entrusting him with the mantle of leadership for next July?s World Cup qualifying tournament to be held here.

Smith, who has realised a ?lifelong dream? to skipper his country, replaces veteran Charlie Marshall who relinquished the post earlier this year.

?It has long been a dream of mine to lead my country in its national sport. The prospect of helping develop our senior side through its continuing transition, with the wealth of young talent coming through; at the same time as maximising our sides performance, is a key goal of mine,? said the new man at the helm in a BCB Press release.

The announcement came on the heels of recent public outcry urging the gifted player?s elevation to the captaincy.

?I hope to inspire the players that we have available to give 100 percent physically and mentally to our program and put a huge sense of pride into Bermuda cricket and the privilege of representing our country,? he added.

The 32-year-old underlined his commitment to local cricket last month against the visiting Barbados national team by suiting up in three of the four games while several other top players, for various reasons, failed to show.

In addition, Smith formed part of the national selection committee which has chosen a 34-member squad to undergo ?rigorous? training during winter in preparation for the World Cup qualifier.

BCB president Reggie Pearman described Smith?s appointment as a ?key? step towards the Island?s future success.

?Clay will be working alongside the coaching staff, headed by national coach Mark Harper, to make sure the Bermuda senior side is well prepared for the upcoming events of 2004,? he said.

Smith, a former St.George?s Cup Match skipper, has proven he can rise to the big occasion, becoming the first ever Bermudian to stroke back-to-back centuries on tour.

He cracked 100 not out against the Windward Islands and followed that solid performance up with another unbeaten 101 against a Courtney Walsh-led Jamaican national team during the 1997 Red Stripe competition in the Caribbean.

In July, the middle-order batsman joined an exclusive group of players to score two centuries in Cup Match. The Whitney Institute Special Education teacher grafted a patient 124 runs during St.George?s first innings at Wellington Oval.

Smith and Marshall (134) produced the classic?s second highest all-time partnership worth 212 runs for the fourth wicket that fell only 17 runs shy of the record 229 set by Rupert Scotland and Lee Raynor in 1974.

The right-hander also shares Cup Match records for the second and third wickets.

In 1992, Smith, along with older brother Wendell, established a new record for the second wicket worth 200 runs while in 1997 he set a new record of 144 runs for the third wicket with Glenn Blakeney.