Clay Smith Celebrates Win On Emotional Day
[Written by Patrick Bean]
Few would argue against Clay Smith’s status as a winner on the cricket pitch, his accomplishments as a prolific, right-handed opening batsman, having proven himself at first class and international levels.
Presently the coach of St George’s, Smith has a legacy that includes that of being captain, consistent prime-time performer and Most Valuable Player [MVP] award winner, when once the east stood as formidable foe at Cup Match.
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Such prowess was not limited to local soil as, while representing his country at the 1997–98 Red Stripe Bowl, Smith became the first Bermudian to score a List-A century, registering 100 not out against the Windward Islands, which he followed up two matches later with an another unbeaten century against powerhouse Jamaica.
A former captain and coach of Bermuda the list of Smith’s accomplishments in the cricketing arena stand favourably among greats of a bygone era.
However, all such success was reduced to naught one fateful day in late September of 2020, when Smith was abruptly incapacitated by a subarachnoid hemorrhage — bleeding within the brain — and urgently flown abroad for emergency surgery at Lahey Medical Hospital in Burlington, Massachusetts, his life, literally, place on a ‘knife-edge’.
Now recovered it was fitting that on this year’s final Sunday of September — two years to the day of near tragedy for the coach — his current charges confirmed themselves as Athene T20 Premier Division champions.
As St George’s players let loose in unrestrained celebration there was Smith sitting outside of the dressing room, appearing composed to most, yet bubbling with an inner emotion which threatened to overwhelm a displayed outer calm.
“My wife actually reminded me of it,” explained Smith, his voice crackling just a bit. “It was an emotional time for our family, because two years today I didn’t even know if I’d still be here.
“So I just thank God for saving me and getting me through what I had to go through.
“It was a tough period of my life for a good six months that it took me to recover and I’m still only about 90 to 95 percent of myself.
“I still have to do work to strengthen my legs and other parts of my body. So I’m still not fully recovered, but I’ve recovered enough that I’m able to do what I am supposed to do without any issues.”
The prior revelation of Smith’s mortality was not the only cause for the competing mixture of joy and somberness, with the year also having featured the tragic passings of club-mates Osagi Bascome, who was murdered last December, and Freddy Hall, who died in April following a single vehicle collision.
“To come and see my team win this game on a day like today is very emotional, because as a community we’ve had a lot of losses,” added Smith. “We lost Osagi [Bascome] and Freddy Hall.
“And the first thing these guys said, when Brandon hit the winning run, was, ‘That’s for Osagi and Freddy’.”
Further demonstration of Smith’s commitment and determination to stand victorious, while fulfilling a father’s dream, occurred just under a week later when he opened his team’s batting against Cleveland with his son Jonte Smith, showing flashes of his old manner, scoring 16 runs in a patient 44-ball vigil, while Smith — the younger — notched 24.
‘Recovery complete!’.
