THE outgoing coach of Herefordshire County Cricket Club (HCCC) feels he has been made a scapegoat by a new committee who are looking to reinvigorate the sport.

Harshed Patel had a glittering 26 year career at the club as player and coach and led the side to Minor Counties Knock-out Cup success last year.

But the committee in charge of the club feel changes were needed to kick-start interest in the sport.

One of the main topics of debate was the lack of local players being picked for the Minor Counties side, therefore blocking any natural pathway for junior players.

However, Patel argues that the step up was too big for some of the players and they have to be good enough to be picked.

"I feel there has been a lack of understanding on the board," said Patel, who is one of only a handful of players to have scored 1,000 runs at Minor Counties level.

"You have to be a decent player to be a Minor Counties player.

"I've seen players be distraught and destroyed and end up finishing playing cricket.

"The attitude locally is that Herefordians need to be playing county cricket.

"But you will only play if you are good enough.

"I was a bit shocked to told by email that I was not carrying on after 26 years of service.

"Having lived in Herefordshire and been appointed first class cricket development manager, I was astonished to be told that I was no longer required and I find the decision naive.

"I felt I was made a scapegoat and the reasons given laughable."

A meeting was held at the Railway Club in Hereford on Monday night in which club representatives were invited to hear speeches by Steve Watkins, operations director of Herefordshire Cricket Ltd and the new coach of the County Second XI, Herefordshire Cricket Ltd chairman Derek Ling, HCCC chairman Richard Prime and Derrick Jones, from the Marches League.

Prime believes there has been a 'disconnection' between the county clubs and its constituency recently.

"Clubs have become disillusioned with hosting games, membership has declined and those who remain are not attending games in any numbers, while players who should be the core of the county side are being ignored," he said.

Brockhampton chairman Roy Wargen, who was present at the meeting, feels there are good enough players in the county to play Minor Counties cricket and the right people are now in charge.

"I think there are some great clubs, like Burghill and Colwall and I don't think players playing at that standard cannot play Minor Counties cricket," said Wargen.

"You look at the team that won in 1992 and there were players playing for Burghill and Wormelow," said Wargen.

"Who says what is good enough?

"I believe the Minor Counties team have to compete, so that's when you need your Matt Pardoes and your Peter Burgoynes, but players who are aged nine to 14 need to see there is a pathway.

"And if they're good enough, they will get a chance.

"The good thing about the people involved with the Minor Counties now is that they've been involved with Herefordshire cricket for 30 or 40 plus years.

"I think the Minor Counties team is good and is going in the right way.

"However, if anyone thinks we're going to play 11 Herefordians, they'll be wrong.

"If you're going to compete at a high level and being the small county that we are, you will have to go outside of the county to get some good players.

"But the major point is that the boys that are in the county need to see there is a pathway and they don't get cut off if they're good enough.

"And I think there will be now."