Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) executives met last night with national team cricketer Lionel Cann over allegations of dishonesty regarding the top all-rounder?s salary compensation.

The big-hitting Cann, who refused to comment yesterday, could become the second national team player to be axed from the squad in the past six days should claims against him prove to be true.

Pace bowler George O?Brien was booted out last week for what the BCB described as ?a lack of commitment.?

According to sources, Cann sought additional compensation for a part-time job early last month after the Board decided to do away with the monthly retainer?s fee previously offered to all national team players.

However, it?s understood that phone calls made by the Board to the player?s part-time employers confirmed that he was employed by them but had been absent for several months.

This in turn reportedly fuelled suspicions that Cann had been attempting to fraudulently obtain an additional salary from the Board.

Under the Board?s disputed pay agreement for contracted national team cricketers, all players? weekly full-time job earnings are compensated for by the governing body.

Veteran Cann, a key member of the national squad with his ability to score quickly down the order, is presently employed at Saltus Grammar School and also at a small private construction firm.

Board executives met on Tuesday night to discuss the issue amongst themselves, and were scheduled to meet with Cann last night to decide the cricketer?s fate.

When contacted, BCB officials initially declined to comment but later released a brief statement.

?Matters relating to players? contracts and payments to players are internal to the BCB and are between the BCB and its players,? BCB chief executive Neil Speight told .

Thirty-three year-old Cann is currently training with the national squad after undergoing a groin operation early last month.

The St.George?s Cup Match skipper was a member of Bermuda?s victorious Americas Championship squad that competed in Toronto last August and played a major role when Bermuda qualified for the World Cup at the ICC Trophy in Ireland in 2005.

He is due to join up with the national squad in South Africa next month, but isn?t scheduled to play any part in the opening games of the tour in Kenya as he continues his recovery.

Only last week St.David?s fast bowler O?Brien was thrown out of the national programme for breaking probation conditions laid down last July following a training exercise in Antigua where the fiery bowler landed himself in hot water.

Meanwhile, it was learned yesterday that Cann, last season?s MVP, had been appointed spokesman for a group of disgruntled national team players who rejected the Board?s latest contract proposal last week and retained legal representation.

The group met earlier this week with Government over the month-long row, and have now threatened to take the matter to the Ministry?s Alternative Dispute Resolution panel.

At the core of the dispute is the salary of South African all-rounder Saleem Mukuddem ? who as a chartered accountant earns considerably more than some of the other players ? and the Board?s decision to suspend the players? monthly retainer?s fee.

Mukuddem departed for his native South Africa last week, and will rejoin the national team upon their arrival next month in Kenya.

National team cricketers argue that all squad members should receive the same compensation and have gone as far as to accuse the BCB of ?mismanaging? monies allocated to them by Government.

?I am extremely disappointed to learn about this impasse and our ministry stands ready to resolve the issue. There is a great deal at stake and we want our players to do well,? Sports Minister Dale Butler told .

Last month also saw national team players boycott a training session at the National Sports Centre hours after rejecting the Board?s initial contract draft.

?Time is running out and this matter must be resolved as quickly as possible,? Butler added.