A long-serving St. George's Cricket Club committee member has resigned in protest over the club's handling of the dispute with players who failed to pay their dues on time.

Club president Mansfield Smith yesterday confirmed the resignation but declined to reveal the identity of the official.

But The Royal Gazette has learned that he is Gregory Smith who has been actively involved with the club for many years, both as a soccer player and official.

President Smith said the latest development was "unfortunate'' but one that he respected and accepted with deep regret.

"We've lost one of our more dedicated people. It's unfortunate because he was a really good worker,'' said Smith.

St. George's maintain that they neither reneged on an earlier decision nor succumbed to pressure when they announced a complete reversal of a pledge made last Thursday that three players who had not paid their club dues would be omitted from the Cup Match team.

Later added to the trio of Lionel Cann, Dale Fox and Dean Minors was the name of Clarkie Trott when it was discovered he too had not paid his fees. All besides Minors were later reinstated and declared eligible for selection. Both Cann and Fox were selected.

Claims that management retreated for fear of repercussions were scoffed at by president Smith who insisted that management later took several additional facts into consideration, all of which were considered legitimate, and only then decided to alter their original position.

An emergency meeting on Saturday at 1.00 p.m. led to the change of heart following a plea by the majority of players in the final trial match at Wellington Oval.

"We just put our heads together, thoroughly considered all of the facts many of which were new and came up with the decision. We were not pressured by anybody at all, nor were we trying to satisfy any specific group of people,'' said Smith.

"I realise some people are reading a lot into it, but there was no motives behind our change of heart. New developments persuaded the changes and nothing else.'' According to one source, management realised they made a mistake by failing to warn players of the deadline to become financial when they represented the club against Australia early this summer. Had they done so then the players would have had suitable warning.

Smith, meanwhile, denied that an obvious lack of strength in the Cup Match team's pace attack, in the absence of Cann, Fox or Trott, forced them to change course. He claimed had the trio been ruled out, St. George's would have willingly selected their bowlers from those who remained available.

"We would have stood on principle and going ahead with what we had, that's for certain,'' said the president, who doubled as selection committee chairman in the absence of Gladwin Peniston, who is in hospital.

The usually outspoken Lionel Cann was conspicuously quiet during the controversy, refusing to make public comment about the developments throughout last week.

But his position changed after he was named to the team, saying the club had made "a correct decision'' by reinstating the players involved in the dispute.

"I really feel that justice has been served. A mistake was made from the beginning and it has been rectified, what more can I say,'' said Cann.

"They picked the best possible team. Actually they could have picked any team good enough to beat Somerset.'' When asked if he was prepared to share the new ball with Dale Fox, Cann assured that he was willing to accept any role that the skipper wanted him to play.

"If asked to open the bowling it would be no problem. If asked to open the batting I'll gladly do that too,'' said Cann.