FORMER Spring Gully coach Damien Dunlop says the Emu Valley Cricket Association club wasn't his enjoying his "aggressive, strong" brand of cricket.
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Dunlop has stood down as Spring Gully coach not only mid-season, but in the middle of the Crows' round six game against Emu Creek, which finished on Saturday.
"I don't want to get into a slanging match or anything like that with the club, but from my point of view, it probably came to a head with my philosophy of wanting to play a fairly aggressive, strong brand of cricket," Dunlop said on Saturday.
"That was the brand of cricket I was looking for us to play and I thought we were doing OK.
"We had won a couple of games and were in a reasonably good position this week, so I guess it was my aggressive, strong brand of cricket that the club wasn't enjoying.
"And off the field, there was probably an environment between the committee and the coach that was devoid of any trust and support that made working in that environment very difficult.
"I thought it was best that I advise them that I withdraw my services."
Dunlop says he hasn't "gone over the top" playing his aggressive brand of cricket.
"I certainly play an aggressive brand of cricket, but I wouldn't say I've gone over the top," Dunlop said.
"I haven't been suspended or reported, so what can I say... we've played a couple of games recently where the umpires commended the way we played the game of cricket.
"From my point of view it's disappointing.
"I enjoyed the players and up until today I was the leading wicket-taker in the competition.
"I have no doubt in my cricket ability, but I can't work with a committee that works in an environment that is devoid of trust and support."
While Dunlop hasn't been suspended or reported by an umpire, a tribunal hearing has been scheduled this Wednesday for him to answer allegations following the Crows' game against Mandurang in round four.
"From what I'm led to believe, the Mandurang Cricket Club did write to the EVCA making some allegations that to my knowledge are yet to be proven," Dunlop said.
"Certainly, from that game of cricket there was no report made by the umpire. If the umpire hasn't made any official report, I'm none the wiser on that."
Dunlop - who is the Northern Rivers regional manager - had been one of the standout bowlers in the EVCA this season taking 20 wickets.
Spring Gully president Bryan Coghlan said the split between the Crows and Dunlop was amicable.
"It was amicable, but just not the direction we wanted to head in," Coghlan said.
"Different people play the game different ways and we felt that for the club's brand we needed to go in a different direction."
Andrew Sharpe has been appointed Crows' captain-coach.