Willow Cuts bid to switch this summer's Western Counties series to Somerset Cricket Club has been thwarted.

And Western Counties president Keith Wainwright has appealed to the west end club's executives and players to use better judgement in the future and abide by the constitution.

Speaking for the first time since Tuesday night's marathon Western Counties affiliates' meeting at Southampton Rangers, Wainwright reiterated that the latest dispute with Cuts had been nothing more than "a storm in a tea cup".

Cuts sought the legal services of Ed Bailey, a former president of the BCBC, Western Counties and Willow Cuts, and had threatened to attempt to get an injunction which would have put a halt to this year's matches.

Bailey is currently off the Island while Cuts, the reigning Western Counties champions, are scheduled to return to the Island today and will open the defence of their title next Saturday against Warwick at Southampton Oval.

"Disputes are very common place in this day and age," acknowledged Wainwright. "But in the wisdom of the executives in 2000, a new section (disputes) was added to the constitution.

"It was added primarily because we encountered the 1999 James Pace fiasco which addressed player eligibility so we wanted to ensure that our games go on.

"Willow Cuts have retained the services Ed Bailey who is a former president of the their club and I am very disturbed that he would advise his clients in the manner which he has chosen."

Wainwright pointed out that from what he had gathered from Bailey's comments in yesterday's Royal Gazette, Bailey had not been kept abreast of changes made to to the Western Counties constitution.

"I strongly feel that because he (Bailey) hasn't read it, the wiser move in the best interest of cricket - as he's so often been quoted as saying - is that he will need to allow his clients an opportunity to discuss their dispute and their opinions at an affiliates meeting and then follow it up by forwarding a written letter discussing their dispute.

"But like I said from the very beginning, this entire episode has been little more than a storm in a tea cup. It's been a total misunderstanding.

"We had a marathon affiliates meeting on Tuesday and during the course of that meeting, we had other business to discuss. This particular issue remained on the agenda because we had received notice on behalf of Willow Cuts from their lawyer (Bailey) threatening an injunction if we didn't reply.

"Speaking on the behalf of the Western Counties' executive, we are very satisfied with what was said and the communication that we received during Tuesday's meeting.

"As you know, PHC and Somerset Bridge, initially signed onto Willow Cuts' special request for a general meeting. And I am very happy to say that as a result of our full explanation of what the constitution actually reads we were able to show both PHC and Somerset Bridge that we couldn't change the venue.

"We (Western Counties) wouldn't necessarily classify this whole procedure as a waste of time. We classify it as a misunderstanding and we are appealing to the Willow Cuts organisation, their executives and also their players who are currently on tour to use their best judgement because I might add that in our constitution there's a section on disputes.

"One of our primary roles is to execute the constitution," added Wainwright. "If I step out of bounds, then I am going to be in trouble with all of my affiliates.

"I think Bailey is thinking with emotion as opposed to fact."