Cook maintains distance from Pietersen-ECB spat – Cricket News Update
England’s ODI captain and opening batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), maintaining that the team intends to keep their focus on the
3rd and final Test match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757.
"Whatever happens is not for me to comment on. We are going to concentrate on our cricket," he said. "It's down to the board that will get resolved. We as an http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 side are trying to concentrate on our cricket."
The contention between the board and Pietersen came to the forefront earlier this year, after the 32-year-od retired from all forms of international limited-overs cricket, claiming the team’s schedule was far too hectic for his liking.
A known T20 specialist, having expressed his fondness for domestic tournaments such as the Indian Premier League, the right-hander asked the board for special permission to be allowed to retire solely from ODIs, while continuing to play T20s. However, the
ECB turned down the request, citing a rule which states that players who retire from one limited-overs format are automatically considered retired from the other.
The spat took a new turn during the team’s ongoing 3-match Test series against the Proteas – currently standing at 0-1, with one more match to go, the Poms are hanging on to their top Test team status by a thread, and require a win in the final match to
retain their spot.
Pietersen, declared the Player of the Match in the second drawn match in Leeds after scoring an emphatic 149, called a post-match press conference, during which he threatened to quit Test cricket as well if his concerns were not addressed – he had earlier
expressed the wish to play a full IPL season next year, which clashes with the Poms’ Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754.
The star batsman also went on to reveal that there were deep fissures within the team and within the ECB, claiming that there was unrest in the dressing room, where he felt isolated.
However, his allegations of discord in the England changing room have been played down by both http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SCJ-Broad-c2465 and Cook, with the latter dismissing the issue as irrelevant in the face of England’s upcoming match against the Proteas at Lord’s in London, due
to be played from August 16 to 20.
"What happens in our dressing room stays in our dressing room," Cook insisted. "Look, we have a very important game at Lord's to go we need to win to try and stay number one."
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