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Kevin Pietersen labels ECB crime sheet of his Ashes tour ‘a joke’ Kevin Pietersen labels ECB crime sheet of his Ashes tour ‘a joke’
(about 1 hour later)
The England and Wales Cricket Board has admitted a leaked document detailing repeated problems with Kevin Pietersen on the 2013-14 Ashes Tour forms part of a potential legal response to the batsman’s explosive autobiography. The England and Wales Cricket Board has admitted that a leaked document detailing repeated problems with Kevin Pietersen on the 2013-14 Ashes Tour forms part of a potential legal response to the batsman’s explosive autobiography.
The document, dismissed by Pietersen last night as “a joke” and an “embarrassment” to the ECB, was published by ESPN Cricinfo on Tuesday afternoon, after Pietersen had completed a round of book-plugging interviews and before he attended a question and answer session in the surreal setting of a Franciscan friary known as the Monastery in Gorton, Manchester. The document, dismissed by Pietersen on Tuesday night as “a joke” and an “embarrassment” to the ECB, was published by ESPN Cricinfo on Tuesday afternoon, after Pietersen had completed a round of book-plugging interviews and before he attended a question and answer session in the surreal setting of a Franciscan friary known as the Monastery in Gorton, Manchester.
There was the odd admission of regret but the mood was certainly not confessional as Pietersen repeated his attacks on Andy Flower and Matt Prior for, he joked, “the 701st time today” – and he then added his strongest criticism yet of Graeme Swann, claiming that Flower shared his view that the spinner had “let the team down” by flying home before the end of the series. A reference is made in the document to the showdown with Andy Flower, the then coach, before the fifth Test in Sydney that Pietersen describes in detail in his autobiography, but the document also covers many other incidents that are not mentioned in the book.
He responded to the leaked document, which had surfaced only a couple of hours earlier and which referred to Alastair Cook as Alistair, by saying: “It’s embarrassing, they couldn’t even spell Cooky’s name right. It’s a joke, I’m done with it.” They include criticism of Alastair Cook’s captaincy, Michael Carberry’s batting and Graeme Swann’s character, in addition to other alleged examples of defiance of Flower – whether whistling on his way back to the pavilion after a dismissal, looking at his watch or out of the window during team meetings or taking young players out drinking against team instructions.
The document left the governing body with a familiar exercise of damage limitation, having been greeted with derision on social media. It included a reference to the showdown with Flower, the then coach, before the fifth Test in Sydney that Pietersen describes in detail in his autobiography, but also covers many other incidents that are not mentioned in the book.
They include criticism of Alastair Cook’s captaincy, Michael Carberry’s batting and Swann’s character, in addition to other examples of defiance of Flower – whether whistling on his way back to the pavilion after his dismissal, looking at his watch or out of the window during team meetings or taking young players out drinking against team instructions.
It was initially billed by Cricinfo as the dossier that was mentioned by the ECB around the time of Pietersen’s sacking in February. But an ECB spokesman, who had earlier maintained the governing body’s refusal to respond to Pietersen’s various attacks, insisted it was an internal legal email that was being prepared by lawyers as a possible response to the book. The ECB also later claimed the document had been tampered with. “This is the last thing we wanted,” the spokesman said.It was initially billed by Cricinfo as the dossier that was mentioned by the ECB around the time of Pietersen’s sacking in February. But an ECB spokesman, who had earlier maintained the governing body’s refusal to respond to Pietersen’s various attacks, insisted it was an internal legal email that was being prepared by lawyers as a possible response to the book. The ECB also later claimed the document had been tampered with. “This is the last thing we wanted,” the spokesman said.
On Twitter, the ECB said: “The document published by ESPNcricinfo is not what has been suggested. It is simply part of a privileged legal document produced by the ECB’s lawyers compiling information as part of the ECB’s internal due diligence ahead of the release of the Kevin Pietersen book.”On Twitter, the ECB said: “The document published by ESPNcricinfo is not what has been suggested. It is simply part of a privileged legal document produced by the ECB’s lawyers compiling information as part of the ECB’s internal due diligence ahead of the release of the Kevin Pietersen book.”
The document, marked “Strictly privileged and confidential”, alleges that, before the final Test in Sydney, Pietersen stated Cook’s captaincy was “weak [and] tactically inept”, that he called Swann a “cunt” and that he said Flower should let the younger players “go out and get pissed”.The document, marked “Strictly privileged and confidential”, alleges that, before the final Test in Sydney, Pietersen stated Cook’s captaincy was “weak [and] tactically inept”, that he called Swann a “cunt” and that he said Flower should let the younger players “go out and get pissed”.
It alleges that Pietersen said Carberry was “useless” and asked: “Aren’t there any better players at county level?” There are also questions raised about Pietersen’s friendship with Piers Morgan. The document states: “It riled the team and management that KP allowed Piers Morgan to belittle AC [Cook] and the team on social media. When asked by some of his team-mates to get Morgan to stop, KP laughed at the players and told them to get a thicker skin.”It alleges that Pietersen said Carberry was “useless” and asked: “Aren’t there any better players at county level?” There are also questions raised about Pietersen’s friendship with Piers Morgan. The document states: “It riled the team and management that KP allowed Piers Morgan to belittle AC [Cook] and the team on social media. When asked by some of his team-mates to get Morgan to stop, KP laughed at the players and told them to get a thicker skin.”
There is no mention in the book, or the document, of Swann’s early departure from Australia, immediately after the Ashes had been lost in the third Test in Perth. But when asked about it by a member of an audience of about 300 in Gorton, Pietersen said: “Do I think it’s right that he jumped the ship in the middle of the series? No I don’t, I think he let the England team down. The head coach [Flower] called a meeting and said he’d let the team down. The Mood Hoover said he didn’t think it was right, and a lot of the players felt very aggrieved. He blames his elbow – absolutely fine – but I reckon he could have held on for a couple of weeks and stuck by the lads, definitely.” The document left the ECB with a familiar exercise of damage limitation, having been greeted with derision on social media. Pietersen, noting that it referred to Cook as Alistair, said: “It’s embarrassing, they couldn’t even spell Cooky’s name right. It’s a joke, I’m done with it.”
At his Monastery Q&A there was the odd admission of regret but the mood was certainly not confessional as Pietersen repeated his attacks on Flower and Matt Prior for, he joked, “the 701st time today” – and he then added his strongest criticism yet of Swann, claiming that Flower shared his view that the spinner had “let the team down” by flying home before the end of the series.
There is no mention in the book, or the document, of Swann’s early departure from Australia, immediately after the Ashes had been lost in the third Test in Perth. But when asked about it by a member of an audience of about 300 in Gorton, Pietersen said: “Do I think it’s right that he jumped the ship in the middle of the series? No I don’t, I think he let the England team down. The head coach [Flower] called a meeting and said he’d let the team down. The Mood Hoover said he didn’t think it was right and a lot of the players felt very aggrieved. He blames his elbow – absolutely fine – but I reckon he could have held on for a couple of weeks and stuck by the lads, definitely.”
Pietersen also welcomed comments by Ajmal Shahzad, the Nottinghamshire all-rounder who played one Test and 11 one-day internationals, endorsing his claims that a culture of bullying had existed in the England team.Pietersen also welcomed comments by Ajmal Shahzad, the Nottinghamshire all-rounder who played one Test and 11 one-day internationals, endorsing his claims that a culture of bullying had existed in the England team.
“I remember times when I misfielded balls during the World Cup,” Shahzad told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I dived over a ball and there were some senior players you just didn’t want to look at because you just knew they were disappointed and they thought what you’d done was really bad. When you did something wrong it wasn’t looked kindly upon. It did feel quite bad at times. You just didn’t want to look up because you knew you were going to get these stern looks.”“I remember times when I misfielded balls during the World Cup,” Shahzad told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I dived over a ball and there were some senior players you just didn’t want to look at because you just knew they were disappointed and they thought what you’d done was really bad. When you did something wrong it wasn’t looked kindly upon. It did feel quite bad at times. You just didn’t want to look up because you knew you were going to get these stern looks.”
Claims of bullying were dismissed by Swann. “There was absolutely no bullying,” he told the Sun. “Bowlers never had a go at fielders for dropping catches or something that was a genuine mistake.” Claims of bullying were dismissed by Swann. “There was absolutely no bullying,” he told the Sun. “Sure, bowlers shout at fielders if they are out of position or not concentrating. A bowler or wicketkeeper delivers a bit of a kick up the backside – just like a goalkeeper shouts at his centre-half. This is international sport, not the Under-11s.
“If Kevin or other players can’t take a bollocking for being unprofessional, for being out of position or seemingly not trying, they are in the wrong business. I must stress bowlers never had a go at fielders for dropping catches or a genuine mistake. It was when somebody was out of position or too busy waving to the crowd.”
He said he was especially upset by Pietersen’s criticisms of Prior: “Kevin’s attack on Matt is, dare I say it, a bit like bullying.”
Earlier, Pietersen had admitted that “it does look like it’s the end of the road” for his England career, and suggested that could also mean the end of his career in English cricket.Earlier, Pietersen had admitted that “it does look like it’s the end of the road” for his England career, and suggested that could also mean the end of his career in English cricket.
The ECB has maintained its silence, presumably happy for Pietersen to rage himself out. Flower, Pietersen’s third and last England coach, who is pilloried in the book, has not reacted either. But the position as technical director of elite cricket that the ECB gave the Zimbabwean after the Ashes tour confirms that the governing body retains full confidence in him. He also coached the England Lions team this summer – extending the one-on-one work he had been doing with the young players whom Pietersen had claimed he was suffocating – and he is expected to take them on a tour of South Africa in January, when the senior team will be in Australia preparing for the World Cup.The ECB has maintained its silence, presumably happy for Pietersen to rage himself out. Flower, Pietersen’s third and last England coach, who is pilloried in the book, has not reacted either. But the position as technical director of elite cricket that the ECB gave the Zimbabwean after the Ashes tour confirms that the governing body retains full confidence in him. He also coached the England Lions team this summer – extending the one-on-one work he had been doing with the young players whom Pietersen had claimed he was suffocating – and he is expected to take them on a tour of South Africa in January, when the senior team will be in Australia preparing for the World Cup.
ECB on KP: what the lawyers sayECB on KP: what the lawyers say
Key passages from the six-page document which is marked ‘Strictly privileged and confidential’Key passages from the six-page document which is marked ‘Strictly privileged and confidential’
”Nov 29-30 Alleged behaviour by KP/incidents involving KP Upon arrival in Adelaide for the Second Test, AF [Andy Flower] gave express instructions to players not to stay out late and not to give the scandal-voracious press any ammunition, which KP immediately disobeyed by taking out two young players drinking with him until late (an incident which was front page news in the Adelaide press the following day)””Dec 26-30 It riled the team and management that KP allowed Piers Morgan to belittle AC [Alastair Cook] and the team on social media. When asked by some of his team-mates to get Piers Morgan to stop tweeting about the team, KP laughed at the players and told them to get a thicker skin””Nov 29-30 Alleged behaviour by KP/incidents involving KP Upon arrival in Adelaide for the Second Test, AF [Andy Flower] gave express instructions to players not to stay out late and not to give the scandal-voracious press any ammunition, which KP immediately disobeyed by taking out two young players drinking with him until late (an incident which was front page news in the Adelaide press the following day)””Dec 26-30 It riled the team and management that KP allowed Piers Morgan to belittle AC [Alastair Cook] and the team on social media. When asked by some of his team-mates to get Piers Morgan to stop tweeting about the team, KP laughed at the players and told them to get a thicker skin”
”Prior to 5th Test, AF&KP meeting KP stated that AC was weak, tactically inept and that AC’s latest effort to galvanise the team was ‘pathetic’. KP ranted, saying GS [Graeme Swann] is a “c*nt”, the team was ‘sh*t’ and having a go at AF and his coaching””Prior to 5th Test, AF&KP meeting KP stated that AC was weak, tactically inept and that AC’s latest effort to galvanise the team was ‘pathetic’. KP ranted, saying GS [Graeme Swann] is a “c*nt”, the team was ‘sh*t’ and having a go at AF and his coaching”
”Jan 3-7 Following KP’s second- innings dismissal, KP whistled casually on his way back to the pavilion, before coming into the dressing room. After the game was lost, KP walked out of the dressing room, saying 'I don’t give a f*ck'.”Jan 3-7 Following KP’s second- innings dismissal, KP whistled casually on his way back to the pavilion, before coming into the dressing room. After the game was lost, KP walked out of the dressing room, saying 'I don’t give a f*ck'.
In team meetings during the tour, KP would often be deliberately disengaged (e.g. looking out of the window, looking at his watch etc whilst AF and others were talking to the team)”In team meetings during the tour, KP would often be deliberately disengaged (e.g. looking out of the window, looking at his watch etc whilst AF and others were talking to the team)”