To sum it up, I played HCPL 2 seasons ago, and it was very comparable to when I played 2nd XI cricket in my early 20s.
I play in the TVCL now and the standard is still very very high in the top two/three leagues - and an increasing number of young, quality players coming through. I feel like an old man @ 29!
I think it's a shame that the highest level will be weakened... BUT as I am sure the brave five, which rejected leaving the HCPL, will know is that whatever guise the HCPL takes next year, the league will be back to full strength in two years and will become even tougher because of the teams that are waiting to take the places of the Herts teams (Finch, Datchet, Amersham etc) which are well run but with sides young and developing all the time.
In the short term, it is a shame. IMHO it will be a 4 team competition next year in the HCPL (Henley, Slough, High Wycombe and Banbury) with newly-promoted Oxford being a dark horse to break into that top 4.