Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) have categorically denied having any knowlege of a letter allegedly signed on behalf of national team cricketers in which they complain about the coverage they have recieved in the media recently.

The letter, which was published on local sports website Islandstats.com, claims that national team cricketers, sporting bodies, administrators and other athletes have been subjected to "criticism" and "unbiased" (sic) reporting.

"The BCB has not been a party to any reported letter between the players and Islandstats therefore it would be inappropriate to speculate or comment on this," read a BCB statement.

The letter goes on to claim that national team cricketers will only grant interviews during next month's International Cricket Council World Cup qualifiers in South Africa to Islandstats.com, run by part-time ZBM sports reporter Earl Basden, who is also a statistician for the Ministry of Sports.

Cricket board development director Arnold Manders, national coach Gus Logie and national team skipper Irving Romaine all claimed to have no knowlege of any unilateral action taken by national team cricketers against any particular media or knowlege that such a document, apart from that published on Islandstats.com, even existed.

"We don't know anything about any letter signed by national team cricketers.

"Nobody has indicated anything to me or the Board about a letter," Manders said.

"I don't know anything about national team cricketers taking any kind of stand that the Board certainly does not condone."

National team skipper Romaine was also surprised when informed about the letter allegedly signed by his Bermuda team-mates.

"I have no knowlege of this letter and I was certainly never notified about it," he said.

"I can honestly tell you that I know nothing about my players taking any stand. I don't even know how all this all came about."

Gus Logie, the Bermuda coach, added: "I don't know anything about any letter signed by national team cricketers."

The mystery letter, entitled 'Players take a stand', reads:

"Dear Islandstats.com,

"The recent criticism and unbiased reporting subjected not only to the Bermuda national cricket team but other sporting organisations, athletes and administrators is a disservice to those who dedicate their time to sports.

"We are asking for a united approach from the sporting associations and the community as a whole to support a reporting system who will deliver a factual unbiased account of the matches."

The letter continues: "We (national team cricketers) commend Islandstats.com for its consistent, factual and unbiased reports of the sporting events and as such, during the upcoming World Cup Qualifying (qualifying) Tour, the Bermuda national cricket team will provide Islandstats.com with exclusive interview coverage.

"It is our hope the public will be able to log on to your website to obtain updates on our progress from South Africa. – Sincerely,

The Bermuda national cricket team."

When contacted yesterday, Basden refused to answer questions put to him by this newspaper.

The former Prospect United football coach was asked how many players had actually signed the letter of protest and was also asked about his direct involvement with the Ministry of Sports.

Meanwhile, ICC event media manager James Fitzgerald told The Royal Gazette that teams competing in ICC-sanctioned tournaments are "obligated" and expected to "entertain" reasonable requests for interviews from the media.

"At the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers the teams will be expected to entertain all reasonable requests for interviews from members of the media," he said. "At all ICC events each team has obligations regarding media (and) I am happy to discuss any concerns the Bermuda team or, indeed, members of the Bermudian press corps, might have in this regard."