Players' representative Richard Bevan feels the England team have been "ambushed" by Newport-based England and Wales Cricket Board chairman David Morgan's comments that the squad has been torn apart by the issue of playing in Zimbabwe.

An incensed Bevan, the managing director of the Professional Cricketers' Association, revealed the players will issue a joint official statement about their feelings concerning the World Cup trip to the crisis-ridden southern African state.

Bevan said: "To be frank, we're totally surprised at David Morgan's comments.

"Maybe we expected to get ambushed by the media at some time, but not by the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

"He's come out and just before he was going into an ICC meeting on the telephone, Nasser went to meet with him and explain the players' thoughts and that they had reservations.

"They've had reservations for a number of weeks, but that's not to say they weren't going to commit to the England and Wales Cricket Board and actually go."

Asked if he was incensed by Morgan's remarks, he added: "I think you could take that, yes.

"He might be giving anhonest view, but perhaps that would be best put to the chief executive of the ECB and let the professionals that are dealing with this issue deal with what is probably the most difficult position that the ECB have been in in many years.

"Certainly, in the minds of a number of players, they are going to be torn, should they be going, shouldn't they be going?

"That's exactly what any human being would be doing, but ultimately, they're contracted to the England and Wales Cricket Board, their responsibility is to that contract, their responsibility is for (ECB chief executive) Tim Lamb to take the lead, which he's been doing very well."

Lamb tried to smooth over the row and restated the ECB's belief that while security in Zimbabwe is an issue, it is currently not a big enough concern to withdraw the England team.

"I speak to David (Morgan) three times a day despite the 11-hour time difference," he said.

"I'm not sure exactly what David said, but I can assure you that David is well up to speed on what the players feel following conversations I've had with Richard Bevan."