Shropshire Star

Cookie move averts crisis

Shropshire's cricket development manager Cookie Patel has left his job -heading off a crisis in the county. Patel has moved to a new job with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after a summer which has seen his relationship with the Shropshire Cricket Board deteriorate.

Published

A statement issued by ECB head of corporate communications Colin Gibson said: "Cookie Patel has been appointed by the England and Wales Cricket Board to work on the ECB's equity standards policy.

"Mr Patel had been working as the County Development Manager for the Shropshire Board until his secondment by the ECB to help develop an equity standard for cricket in England and Wales.

"Mr Patel will now be based at Edgbaston."

Shropshire Cricket Board chairman Bob Williams confirmed Patel was no longer working in Shropshire but could not comment on the reasons behind the move.

But he did admit: "The vast majority of the Board were prepared to resign over issues involving Cookie."

It is understood most Board members came within hours of resigning at the end of August over the future of Patel, after relations deteriorated over the summer. Though no one will give the reasons for the deterioration on on the record, there is no racial aspect to them.

Those planning to resign included chairman Williams, administrator Steve Aston, who has been involved in Shropshire cricket for 31 years, secretary Jan Griffiths, and treasurer David Blofield.

Shropshire County Cricket Club chairman Bryan Foulkes and fellow board representative Mike Jones were also prepared to hand in their notice.

Just hours before they were due to announce their decision, officials at the highest level of the ECB got involved and promised to look into the matter.

After top level talks, believed to involve ECB chief executive David Collier and his deputy Hugh Morris, the issue appears to have been resolved with Patel moving to a new job and the Board agreeing to carry on.

Patel declined to comment, referring calls to Gibson at the ECB who declined to add to his earlier statement.

Popular stories:

  • Daily news blog

  • Appeal over Darwin fight

  • Find bargains with StarBidz

  • Warning on road closures

  • Hunt for dog after boy attacked

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.