Neither could believe only two Otago players were considered good enough to be ranked in the top 20 in the country.
New Zealand Cricket yesterday release its list of 20 players to be offered contracts for the next year, and missing was a handful of Otago hopefuls.
Dykes, a former national selector, was shocked so many Otago players had been overlooked and said the association was left with the difficult task of retaining its up-and-coming talent.
"We've had six players in the Black Caps last year and to think only two of them are now rated in the top 20 is pretty hard to stomach, quite frankly," he said from Auckland.
"I don't want to be too critical of the selectors because I've been in that boat myself and I know how difficult it is. But the implication for Otago is quite severe. We now have to think very carefully about who we contract.
"There will be some homegrown players who are now likely to miss out on a [provincial] contract. We are going to be faced with the dilemma of how we keep them because they are good enough players to be contracted by other teams."
Dykes said money earmarked for an overseas professional might be needed to help retain local players.
Otago was hopeful of securing up to six national contracts, which would have freed up some provincial spots.
But with dumped Otago pair Neil Broom and Ian Butler joining Wellington all-rounder James Franklin and Northern Districts batsman Daniel Flynn on the scrap heap, Otago has seen its number of nationally contracted players reduced by one.
Fringe Black Cap Aaron Redmond and test hopeful Craig Cumming also missed out.
But the news was not all bad, with off-spinner Nathan McCullum grabbing his first national contract.
He joins other newcomers Wellington pace bowler Andy McKay and Northern Districts batsmen BJ Watling and Kane Williamson.
All-rounder Scott Styris returns and Daryl Tuffey, who replaced Iain O'Brien when he retired last year, has retained his contract.
Hesson was most surprised about Butler's omission.
"I think he is extremely unlucky," he said.
"He was a very good performer for New Zealand last year and only missed out on one one-day series. He was a regular member of the team and had matchwinning performances."
He acknowledged Broom and Redmond were both "swing" selections but said Broom had been "manoeuvered around a heck of a lot" in the order and it was too early to put him out to pasture, while Redmond tended to get selected when he was fit.
"When a player gets injured, Aaron gets called in. And when he's been fit he's been selected. He's a little bit like Neil in that he's had moderate success from time to time. But he's got experience and I just think for all three of those guys to miss out is hugely disappointing."
While Butler would consider himself unlucky, pace bowler Chris Martin (35) is arguably in the other camp.
The ageing seamer looked spent at the end of the summer and has probably been retained because of a dearth of quality seam bowlers - though it feels more like a benefit season for the 56-test veteran.
And Williamson, while a precocious talent, is yet to play for the Black Caps.
So his contract is based on potential, as is McKay's.
Who had heard of him before he made his surprise debut against Bangladesh and then had the good sense to get injured before the series against Australia? NZ Cricket, the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and the six major associations are yet to sign off on a new master agreement, but the parties have a good faith agreement in place.
Players will operate under the terms and conditions of the previous agreement until the end of August or the ratification of a new master agreement.
