Smith still waiting for Windies call

In the midst of a career that started with Barbados almost a decade ago, lead to selection for West Indies, and on to stints with Sussex, Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, and New South Wales it would seem that Dwayne Smith is a player in demand in the game's shortest format.

At 27, playing international cricket should be at the top of his priorities, but since his last appearance for West Indies in the tense, two-run loss to Zimbabwe in Guyana, Smith's services have apparently not been required, and it is unclear when he may get a chance to boost his stalled international career.

Asked by reporters what his standing with West Indies currently is, Smith could only reply: "If I knew I could tell you. I'm in the same position as you are. I'm still available but they're not picking me. I haven't heard anything yet so I'm still waiting to see what happens."

In the meantime, Smith has settled in at Sussex. So much so, in fact, that when his Kolpak status expired at the end of the 2009 season, he was signed as an overseas player for the county for 2010.

"Here in England, for me, at Sussex, I love it here, especially when we play at home," he said. "I have the crowd behind me, and the competition you have is probably at the same level [as the IPL], so it's still good."

Although Sussex won their opening match of the Friends Provident t20, Smith failed in the game, falling to Murali Kartik for a first-ball duck and conceding 13 runs in his solitary over. But his contribution was vital to Sussex's success in the format last year, and for the moment West Indies' loss continues to be the county's gain.