The Eastern Counties Cricket Association have apologised for the events surrounding St David's' withdrawal from the competition and have expressed regret that the club chose to do so.

In a statement issued yesterday lunchtime the ECCA apologised to 'affiliate members, loyal fans and supporters' for recent events surrounding what it calls a 'controversial situation'.

They also insist that they 'always worked diligently and proactively towards instituting change for the betterment of the game', and say they 'look forward to resolving any outstanding issues in the near future'.

However the statement falls well short of the fulsome public apology St David's had been demanding over the last minute decision to switch games from Lords to Sea Breeze Oval, and makes only a guarded reference to the allegations levelled at the association that they fail to hold regular audits or AGMs.

It skirts around concerns that have been expressed by a number of players from different clubs over the actions of the administrators, and the furthest it goes is to acknowledge that 'there will always be challenges within any organisation'.

And while the Association went on to outline plans for a Twenty20 competition tomorrow between Bailey's Bay, Cleveland and Flatts, to fill the gap left by St. David's' withdrawal, even that might be in some jeopardy.

Bermuda vice-captain Stephen Outerbridge, who is also the Bailey's Bay captain, has said he will not take part, and accused the Association of having 'serious issues' over yesterday's statement.

"I'm not playing, I've already told those guys that it's not happening," said Outerbridge. "Half the stuff that they are saying in there (the statement) is not true. They're not working diligently, they haven't tried to resolve the issue, I can't agree with much of what was said. And I'm not playing in the Twenty20, I already told them.

"They are taking away a game I love and putting in the Twenty20, it's absolutely ludicrous."

Outerbridge has already tried to get St. David's to return to the competition, and at one stage on Tuesday it seemed to have succeeded, negotiating the club's return in exchange for a public apology from ECCA over the circumstances surrounding the ground switch, and the promise of an AGM at the end of the season.

The Bay skipper even backed St David's to the extent that he said Bay would consider boycotting their August 28 game in support of the champions' stance. That in turn was met with a terse response from ECCA who issued a two line reply which said: "Comments from the BBCC cricket team are not the views of the Bailey's Bay C. C. Mangement (sic)."

"At the end of the day if St. David's don't play it devalues the whole tournament," said Outerbridge. "If St David's pull out we won't be playing against the true, true champions. Coming down to the 28th we're basically playing someone who has been given the trophy, I'm not playing against the champions.

"I just want the integrity of the tournament to be upheld on the 28th and if that isn't going to happen then we may consider boycotting as well. We want to play against the best, and we want to beat the best. That's our only argument. We want to see a game played."

Meanwhile, requests for answers to the allegations that had been tabled by St David's went unanswered by the ECCA yesterday, other than to issue the statement which read: "To our affiliate members, loyal fans and supporters, volunteers and the cricketing fraternity at large who have supported the Eastern Counties Cricket Association (ECCA) throughout its 107 years, we take this opportunity to apologise for the recent events that have led to this controversial situation.

"The ECCA regrets the decision that one of its founding members, St David's County Cricket Club, has withdrawn their participation in the 2010 series. However, we would like to assure the public that we will move forward with the remainder of the 2010 series.

"The ECCA has always worked diligently and proactively towards instituting change for the betterment of the game, and we continue to strive to improve the quality of the series for the benefit of our loyal fans and supporters.

"We realise there will always be challenges within an organisation and we look forward to resolving any outstanding issues in the near future to ensure that all our affiliates can once again participate in the series and can all benefit fairly in the spirit in which our forefathers envisioned, which includes embracing the entire community."

This however seems like a row that is destined to run and run.

Other Bay players are believed to be ready to stand with Outerbridge in not playing tomorrow, exposing a rift between players and management that could yet see the entire competition reduced to one game between Cleveland and Flatts.