http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 “gutted” after being axed for Lord’s Test – Cricket News Update
Prolific yet controversial England batsman Kevin Pietersen has said that he was "gutted" after being dropped by the ECB selectors from the squad for the third and final Test against South Africa, amid allegations of sending derogatory
texts to South African players.
"To say I am gutted is an understatement," said Pietersen in a statement to Sky Sports on Sunday.
"This entire episode has been demoralising for me and my family. But, this is not the end of my international career," he added further in a dejected tone.
Kevin Pietersen’s future with England cricket had been under a cloud since he revealed during a press conference, post Headingley Test, that the Lord’s Test against South Africa could be his swan song. Though he latter recommitted himself
to all formats of English cricket, by coming out of limited overs retirement, it was already too late for him to regain the faith of ECB selectors and the team management.
What further dented KP’s troubled relationship with his adopted country were the derogatory texts which the batsman sent to the rival team during the drawn Headingley Test.
The managing director of England cricket, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hugh-Morris-c63550 said in a statement that after holding several discussions with Pietersen the board had asked him “to confirm publicly that no derogatory texts had been sent by Kevin to the South African team.”
But the gangling batsman failed to prove that the texts sent to the South African cricketers did not contain anything untoward.
“Whilst we have made every attempt to find a solution to enable Kevin to be selected we have sadly had to conclude that, in the best interest of the team, he will miss the Lord's Test," concluded ECB’s director of cricket.
Pietersen had been at odds with ECB since announcing retirement from limited overs international cricket in May this year. In a bid to put the things on the right track, the Natal-born veteran batsman, on Saturday announced to come
out of retirement. In a video posted on YouTube, KP recommitted himself to his adopted country across all formats of international cricket. He had also agreed, in the video, to prefer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 Daredevils.
"I stand by every word I said in the video," said Pietersen.
The third and final Test between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Yorkshire-c867 batsman Jonny Bairstow has replaced KP in the Lord’s Test squad.
Tags: