BBC SPORT | Special Events | B and H Cup Final

Midway through his 11th season at the County Ground, Smith cuts a frustrated figure.

After a decade of campaigning that has witnessed vast improvements under former chief executive Colin Sexton and current coach John Bracewell, Smith has been a key member of the Gloucestershire squad that has reaped five one-day titles in two years and is about to contest its fifth Lord's final.

But the once-capped England bowler is ruled out of the county's second defence of their Benson & Hedges crown against Surrey.

The cortisone injection on his groin has not done the trick and his comeback will have to wait.

"I haven't got a chance of playing," Smith admitted. " I saw the specialist on Monday and he laughed at me when I asked if I could play.

"It's been a nightmare in all honesty.

"But I'll be doing commentary on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and TV, which is a good second best. The team needs all the support they can get."

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Support from the international one-day selectors, however, is an area that has become the bane of Gloucestershire players and followers.

Despite their unprecedented double successes in the B&H Cup and the NatWest Trophy (now the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy) and as last season's National League champions, only captain Mark Alleyne earned a call up, appearing in the ICC's Knock-out tournament in Kenya.

Also captain of England A, Alleyne was joined by Jon Lewis for their winter tour to the West Indies.

The matter has left Smith dumbfounded and he believes the lack of recognition by the England selectors is likely to start driving Gloucestershire's talented stars away in search of more "fashionable" counties.

"It's difficult to understand why our players can't get into the England side.

"We've got at least three guys - Jon Lewis before his injury, Jeremy Snape and Matt Windows - as well as Mark Alleyne who should be in the reckoning. They're young, fit and strong," Smith added.

"It's the athleticism of the fielders that wins games and they're brilliant fielders.

"They're ambitious and desperate to play for England. But now they're wondering whether Gloucestershire is the place to play and the club is wondering whether they're going to lose players to other counties.

"Mark motivates the players by telling them that if they do well and win finals, they'll get international recognition. But that's not working and he is having to think again."

Bracewell has also vented his dissatisfaction over the selection issue.

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Having revamped a consistently bottom-of-the-table side with new players and regimes, the New Zealander has instilled a seemingly unbeatable air of confidence within the county, which is reflected throughout the squad.

"We used to expect to be bottom of the league, but now we're heading in the right direction and it's surprising how quickly we've done it," Smith said.

"Although we haven't done as well as last season, we're winning a fair few games and the B&H final will be a big test for both us and Surrey.

"Surrey can be dangerous if you catch them on a bad day. They can hit 300 plus, but on another day they can be quite brittle.

"They've got a lot of players who have played in far bigger games than the B&H final, but unlike the last two finals, this time we go into it as favourites."

And if Gloucestershire win, Smith intends to cherish the moment, despite being sidelined.

He had to rush back to Bristol last year as he had an exam the following morning as part of his Law studies. But he has no such commitment this time.

"If we win this year, I will celebrate doubly hard," he said.