Barnett said he had committed to the five-day tournament, which is due to start on Monday.

It would have been the first time he'd played at Melbourne Country Week, having played in representative tournaments in Swan Hill and Ballarat in the past.

"Not all of us will play for Australia or Victoria, for a lot of us the highest we get is to represent the association," Barnett said.

"They have crushed a lot of people's dreams pulling the side out.

"I was going to go down there and open the bowling with Craig Britten.

"It was probably going to be my last country week. I have a pretty serious ankle injury which needs to be seen to and a young baby on the way."

The association board voted against sending a team to Melbourne Country Week on Tuesday last week, citing a lack of commitment shown by players, an absence of youth in the side, a low benefit return for player development to the region, the high costs involved with hosting the team for the week, the low level of sponsorship gained and the timing of the tournament for the decision.

Barnett said he was 'bewildered' with the reasons given for the withdrawal.

"They never gave the players a chance to pay for it out of our own pockets," Barnett said.

"They were complaining about having no youth in the side.

"The selection policy should be picked on form, not who you play for, your name or how old you are.

"Personally I think we needed to be given more than six weeks' notice. I got my letter on December 16.

"I took leave without pay from work so I could go."

Barnett said there was a lack of communication between the board and players.

"The association needed to liaise with the players a bit more," he said.

"All in all there was a bit of a communication break down by everyone."

Barnett, who has taken 15 wickets in A Grade this season, said the board needed to be proactive to ensure a representative team was sent next year.

"Definitely something needs to be done. I am not the one with the answers, just the questions," he said.

"They could start by getting a camp together in November and have a process of elimination until there is 16 or 17 players."

Barnett also said stronger training for junior players needed to be implemented to ensure players reached their full potential.

Editorial, see Opinion.