Bermuda Cricket Board received a memo from national squad players in December requesting urgent talks on their financial contracts, learned yesterday.

That revelation comes in the aftermath of ZBM news and radio reports last week which suggested the players were deeply unhappy with the way in which the contractual process was progressing and were threatening to strike if their grievances were not satisfactorily dealt with.

BCB president Reggie Pearman has rejected the report outright, arguing that the process had been conducted in an ?open and transparent? way and that he had absolutely no knowledge of any player discontent.

Bermuda skipper Clay Smith labelled the story untrue while another Board official called it ?a complete fabrication?.

But it now appears the Board were made aware in late December that the players had not been entirely satisfied with the situation.

It?s understood that Board officials met with the players? committee on three occasions to assure them they would not be short-changed when the contracts were unveiled.

Last night ZBM were standing by their story, claiming they had documentation from a high-level Government source which proved that the essence of their original report was correct.

But the BCB have insisted that ZBM had latched on to a ?very minor? concern which arose over a month ago and which had already been resolved to everybody?s satisfaction.

Contrary to what ZBM first reported, the BCB are adamant there has never been any threat of a strike, nor have the players drawn up a petition or a list of demands.

Several players contacted by , while not wishing to be named, corroborated the BCB?s assertion yesterday, with one insisting that strike action had never been contemplated at any stage and that ZBM?s report had contained ?ridiculous exaggerations?.

Some within the BCB were stunned by the opening line of Ian Rawlins? report on ZBM, which drew a comparison between Bermuda and the ongoing battle currently being waged by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union and its players.

One official labelled the comparison ?misleading and inappropriate?.

ZBM also reported that Bermuda?s wicketkeeper batsman Dean Minors would not be making the upcoming trip to Dubai because of ?work commitments?.

This turned out to be inaccurate with Minors reportedly left ?surprised and angry? by the report.

Although national team players will not sign contracts until their return from Dubai next month, it?s understood they have been made aware of the financial package on offer.