According to veteran PHC player/coach Andre (Doc) Manders, the Warwick club still have plenty to play for this season despite being condemned to the BCBC First Division.

PHC had their stumps dislodged when club affiliates unanimously voted in favour of senior national coach Mark Harper's call for drastic changes in the local league.

And like some of his divisional counterparts, the coach firmly believes that the lower division teams should have been afforded at least another season to earn the right to compete for a place among the Island's elite.

"I still feel that they should have waited another season to give some of the lower teams in the league a fair chance to try and qualify for the Super Eight," said the former Somerset Cup Match skipper.

"But in a way though, I kind of agree, because after he (Harper) disclosed some of the other incentives to play for, I thought to myself that they were pretty good.

"We will be involved in two knockout competitions and then the top two finishers automatically gain promotion and qualification for the Camel Cup. So there's still a lot to play for. We will be competing for promotion and the guys are really excited about the prospect of making the Camel Cup."

PHC also have the Western Counties to look forward to, especially after their match last year was rained out.

"Last year we didn't even get the chance to suit up and we had just ordered some new outfits," added Manders.

Reflecting on last year's performances, Manders noted how his team were unfortunate on several occasions not to have come away with the spoils after giving their opponents a run for their money.

"Basically we let it slip away," he said. "We lost too many close games. If only we could've accumulated maybe another ten points maybe we wouldn't have been placed in this predicament. We should've made the Super Eight, but that's all in the past now.

"I think that through a lack of concentration we gave away a lot of extra runs. That's what ultimately cost us in the end."

However, after coming to grips with last year's dismal performance, the veteran added: "We are definitely going to tighten up in the extras column and our short term goal will be to finish in the top two and whatever comes along with that will be a bonus."