BATSMEN Paul Lazenbury will be playing for Herefordshire CCC again next year after a season with Kent, writes Jeremy Finney.

The prolific left-hander played a prominent role during Herefordshire's highly successful 2000 season and it was that which attracted the attentions of Kent, but the first class club have decided not to retain his services.

Lazenbury made four centuries in the Minor Counties Championship in 2000 and added a fifth in the ECB 38 County Cup final in a victory over Cheshire at Lord's.

That win gave Hereford-shire a bye in the first round of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy last season which opened up the way for their meeting with Middlesex and a famous victory before defeat at Worcestershire in a prestigious fourth-round tie.

The victory over Middle-sex was highlighted by two retiring officials - Nick Nenadich and Bryan Smith - in their reports to the annual meeting of the Herefordshire club.

As previously reported, Nenadich stood down after six years as chairman. He said that he had thoroughly enjoyed his time in office with visits to Lord's and a rare victory over a first class county.

Smith said that Herefordshire had created history as one of the few Minor Counties team to defeat County Cham-pionship giants.

A good standard of bowling had helped the county, but he felt the squad now needed to be strengthened by an additional batsman and an all-rounder.

Match manager Derek Hince thanked all the clubs who staged matches last season and, in particular, Dales for hosting an extra match and Lucton-ians for the Middlesex game.

Secretary Peter Sykes reported on changes in the Minor Counties Championship.

It has been proposed that a Premier Division of six or seven clubs be formed for the year 2004, with places being decided by positions in the Eastern and Western Divisions in the preceding seasons, starting from next year.

Herefordshire start their Minor Counties Champio-nship programme with a match against Wales at Colwall.

FIXTURES

ECB 38 County Cup: Sunday, June 9, Wales H (Dales); Sunday, June 16, Gloucestershire CB A; Sunday, June 23, Worcestershire CB A; Sunday, July 7, Warwickshire CB H (Brockhampton).

Minor Counties Cham-pionship: June 2-4, Wales H (Colwall); June 30-July 2, Cheshire H (Luctonians); July 14-16, Shropshire A (Shifnal); July 28-30, Berkshire A; August 4-6, Dorset H (Luctonians); August 18-20 Cornwall A.

Cheltenham & Glouc-ester Trophy (2003 qualifying), first round: Thursday, August 29, Warwickshire CB A; second round: Sunday, September 8, Durham CB A.