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Kevin Pietersen parody Twitter account author denies England players involved Kevin Pietersen parody Twitter account author denies England players involved
(about 14 hours later)
The author of the “@KPgenius” Twitter parody that was cited as a major cause of the rift between the batsman and his England team-mates has insisted no professional cricketers were involved in running the account. The author of the “@KPgenius” Twitter parody that was cited as a major cause of the rift between the batsman and his England team-mates has insisted that no professional cricketers were involved in running the account.
Richard Bailey, from Nottingham, is friends with a number of Nottinghamshire cricketers but not involved in the professional game. Bailey was responsible for setting up the account in June 2012 and continues to strongly deny, as he did at the time, that players were directly involved. Richard Bailey, from Nottingham, is friends with a number of Nottinghamshire cricketers but not involved in the professional game. He was responsible for setting up the account in June 2012 and continues to deny strongly, as he did at the time, that players were directly involved.
Pietersen’s autobiography reveals the extent to which the Twitter account angered and upset, him to the extent that it caused him to break down in tears in front of Andy Flower. Pietersen’s autobiography reveals the extent to which the Twitter account angered and upset him, causing him to break down in tears in front of the then England coach, Andy Flower.
At first, Pietersen was happy to interact with the account, even retweeting it. However, once he came to believe hat the account was in some way linked to his team-mates, he asked the England and Wales Cricket Board to investigate. At first, Pietersen was happy to interact with the account, even retweeting it. However, once he came to believe that the account was in some way linked to his team-mates, he asked the England and Wales Cricket Board to investigate.
In his book Pietersen claims: “Some guy just walked up to Alec Stewart [the former England wicketkeeper] at the Oval one day and said: ‘Can you keep a secret?’ Alec shrugged … ‘You know that KPgenius Twitter account? I’m running it and some of the guys in the dressing room are tweeting from the account.” In his book Pietersen claims: “Some guy just walked up to Alec Stewart [the former England wicketkeeper] at The Oval one day and said: ‘Can you keep a secret?’ Alec shrugged … ‘You know that KPgenius Twitter account? I’m running it and some of the guys in the dressing room are tweeting from the account.’”
Bailey told Guardian Sport that this was inaccurate: “When I spoke to Alec Stewart I actually said others might know it was me doing the tweets. I have a witness to that conversation.” Stewart said on BBC 5 Live that he was told by Bailey that Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann had access to the account and that he informed the ECB. But Bailey told Guardian Sport that this was inaccurate: “When I spoke to Alec Stewart I actually said others might know it was me doing the tweets. I have a witness to that conversation.” He is categorical in his denial that any of the England players tweeted from the account. “They 100% did not tweet from it,” he said.
But Bailey is categorical in his denial that any of the England players tweeted from the account. “They 100% did not tweet from it,” he said. Bailey is a friend of Broad, Alex Hales and a number of other Nottinghamshire cricketers. However, he says that he had never met Swann, the England bowler who is one of those Pietersen suspects was involved, until August this year. “I met him the first time a month ago for 30 seconds,” Bailey said. “I had never met him before.”
Bailey is friends with Stuart Broad, Alex Hales and a number of other Nottinghamshire cricketers. However, he says that he had never met Graeme Swann, the England bowler who is one of those Pietersen suspects was involved, until August this year. “I met him the first time a month ago for 30 seconds,” Bailey said. “I had never met him before.” Bailey is also categorical that no confidential information was passed to him from the England dressing room and that his tweets were meant as lighthearted parody based on facts about Pietersen already in the public domain, such as his criticism of the former England batsman and Sky commentator Nick Knight.
Bailey is also categorical that no confidential information was passed to him from the England dressing room and that his tweets were meant as light-hearted parody based on facts about Pietersen that were already in the public domain, such as his criticism of the former England batsman and Sky commentator Nick Knight.
The account was shut down in late summer 2012 and an apology issued by Bailey for any unintended upset caused. Broad also issued a formal statement confirming that he had “no involvement whatsoever” with the account.The account was shut down in late summer 2012 and an apology issued by Bailey for any unintended upset caused. Broad also issued a formal statement confirming that he had “no involvement whatsoever” with the account.
What is clear from Pietersen’s autobiography is that by the time the parody account was in full flow, he already felt isolated from the dressing room because of his desire to give up one-day cricket and tensions over his IPL contract. Once Pietersen had discovered that the account was being run by a friend of Broad this added fuel to an already smouldering fire of grievances in the batsman’s mind.What is clear from Pietersen’s autobiography is that by the time the parody account was in full flow, he already felt isolated from the dressing room because of his desire to give up one-day cricket and tensions over his IPL contract. Once Pietersen had discovered that the account was being run by a friend of Broad this added fuel to an already smouldering fire of grievances in the batsman’s mind.
Perhaps ironically, Pietersen is alleged to have had a different attitude towards other people being criticised via Twitter. The ECB internal email that made its way into the public domain on Tuesday alleges that when asked by team-mates to request that his friend and defender, Piers Morgan, stop tweeting about the team, Pietersen laughed and told the players to “get a thicker skin”. Paradoxically, Pietersen is alleged to have had a different attitude to other people being criticised via Twitter. The ECB internal email that became public knowledge on Tuesday alleges that when asked by team-mates to request that his friend and defender Piers Morgan stop tweeting about the team, Pietersen laughed and told the players to “get a thicker skin”.