Colin Povey, the Warwickshire chief executive, has felt moved to make a public statement to members after fielding a barrage of criticism in recent days.

With supporters' dissatisfaction rising audibly over recent weeks, Povey released a statement on the club's website designed to "update" the club's members.

In it Povey accepted the team's "form has dipped sharply in the second half of the season", but asked supporters to back the players and said the club would try to "add two new faces to our line-up before next season."

Povey also explained the situation as regards the registration of new players and said no decision about Mark Greatbatch's future would be made until the end of the season.

"As with any sport a losing run puts pressure on the coach and Mark [Greatbatch] has been under the microscope in the last few weeks," Povey stated. "Some of you think he must go because of recent results, others give him more credit for our early season form, the quality of his signings and other improvements behind the scenes.

"For my part I can say Mark works incredibly hard, has another year left on his contract and, like everyone else at the club, will have his performance assessed in the cold light of day at the end of the season.

"We have three important games to play with a clear priority now on the Championship. Preserving our Division One status is vital so please get behind the team and make yourself a telling 12th man for these last few days of cricket. Come on you Bears!"

Povey also criticised the England and Wales Cricket Board for their "disingenuous" approach to the registration procedures, explaining the club's problems in signing Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Nayan Doshi.

"I cannot understand how a professional sport can be so inconsistent and unclear on such a crucial topic," Povey continued.

It is doubtful that Povey's statement will placate supporters, however. For a start the statement again suggests that there is a quick-fix to the problems at Edgbaston. There is not and two 'new faces' will not be enough. The removal of Greatbatch - surely inevitable as it is - will not solve anything on its own.

The phrase about 'recent results' is also interesting, for it is not just in "recent weeks" that Warwickshire have struggled to justify first division status. Last year was also a sub-standard season. Warwickshire were ninth in the North Conference of the C&G Trophy and avoided relegation in the Pro-40 by one point. Only a late run of form inspired by Paul Harris saved them in the championship. Greatbatch is not on a bad run; this is the norm.

Povey has become a regular face in the dressing room at games home and away, trying to pour oil on troubled waters. Quite how Greatbatch will cope with the flak that comes his way at the members' forum on Thursday night remains to be seen.

Indeed, Povey's problem is that the more he defends Greatbatch, the more he is associated with failure. The fact that a committee meeting was called last night suggests he is aware of the depth of the crisis.