http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 keen to resume England career – Cricket News Update
Axed England batsman Kevin Pietersen, whose prolonged spat with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has finally reached a resolution, expressed his eagerness to put the events of the summer behind him, and focus on returning to the national side and
resuming his cricketing career with England.
Pietersen and the ECB held a press conference today on October 3 at the team hotel in Colombo, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758, where it was revealed the right-hander had signed a four-month central contract with the ECB, and would undergo a programme intended to reintegrate
him in the England set-up. The board confirmed that the 32-year-old would be considered for national selection once the programme is complete, and both parties expressed a willingness to move forward.
“It's been a horrible situation for all involved but it's time to move forward,” Pietersen said. “All being well I'll be back in an England shirt as soon as possible.
“I am committed to completing the reintegration process we have agreed over the coming weeks and resuming my England career in all formats.
“I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise to my team-mates, all http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 supporters and the ECB for the situation that has arisen over the last couple of months,” he concluded. “Thankfully we have drawn a line under it and can move forward.”
The relationship between Pietersen and the ECB, which had been strained since the batsman announced his retirement from international limited-overs cricket earlier this year, reached breaking point during South Africa’s tour of England.
While the right-hander called a press conference to express his dissatisfaction with the board, and hinted at dressing room hostilities between the team and himself, the situation was reversed when it was discovered Pietersen had sent derogatory texts targeting
then skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964 to members of the South African team. It was also alleged that he had offered tactical advice to the visiting Proteas players (who then went on to strip England of their top Test team ranking).
Although Pietersen offered an immediate apology, the incident rekindled the suspicions regarding the batsman’s commitment to the national side, and the ECB dropped him from the team. However, talks between the two parties were recently initiated, and with
Pietersen having issued another apology, and offered his binding assurance that the text messages did not contain tactical advice, the issue has finally reached a much-awaited resolution.
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