Strauss defends ECB’s decision to fine Pietersen – Cricket News Update
England’s Test captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 for having publicly criticised their official broadcaster,
Sky Sports.
“…obviously, we have conditions of employment that don't allow us to talk about everything and anything (in public),” he said.
“…the board wasn't happy with Kevin's comments with regard to our broadcaster. That's their right as a board, so Kevin has obviously received a fine because of that,” Strauss went on to explain. “You can understand that the board is concerned with making
sure their sponsors and broadcasters are looked after.”
Pietersen attracted the board’s attention when he expressed his incredulity regarding the appointment of Nick Knight as a
Sky television commentator for home Tests on Twitter. Knight, a former England batsman, has 17 Tests to his credit, while Pietersen is a veteran of 84 Tests.
The board came down swiftly on the 31-year-old, claiming his comments were against their interests, and a breach of Pietersen’s conditions of employment as an England player. Earlier this year, the ECB struck a £280 million ($440 million) deal with
Sky Sports, granting them the rights to broadcast live matches (both international and County) for a period of 4 years, and the deal happens to be one of the board’s primary sources of income.
“… If you sign an England contract you can have opinions on certain things but can't say them publicly,” Strauss pointed out. “… Any employer would expect their employees to be aware of sensitive issues for them.”
Pietersen was summoned to a disciplinary hearing, conducted by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Flower-c44362, the team director. The board confirmed in a statement released later that the right-hander had been fined an undisclosed
sum, a part of which had been suspended for 12 months, as per the terms and conditions laid out in his http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 central contract.
The incident marks the second time Pietersen has landed in trouble owing to the micro-blogging site. He was previously reprimanded by the board for a public and explicit outburst expressing his frustration at being dropped from the national ODI squad in
2010.
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