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Kevin Pietersen open to England return if Giles Clarke leaves ECB Kevin Pietersen open to England comeback if Giles Clarke leaves ECB
(about 2 hours later)
Kevin Pietersen claims he could yet return to international cricket – if the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke departed the scene. Kevin Pietersen claims he could yet return to international cricket – if the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, Giles Clarke, departed the scene.
It is a fanciful scenario to suggest Pietersen, sacked by the ECB eight months ago, could resume his career with his adopted country under any circumstances such is the vitriol contained in his autobiography, which went on general sale on Thursday. It is a fanciful scenario to suggest Pietersen, sacked by the ECB eight months ago, could resume his career with his adopted country under any circumstances such is the vitriol contained in his autobiography, which went on general sale on Thursday. But he has escalated his grievances to the very top in his latest interview to promote his book having already directed his fire at his former team-mates and the former team director Andy Flower.
But he has escalated his grievances to the very top in his latest interview to promote his book having already directed his fire at his former team-mates and former team director Andy Flower.
“What would have to happen for me to be recalled by England? Clearly, the boss would have to go,” Pietersen said in the Evening Standard. “Clarke would have to go, and I’ve been hearing that could happen in the next few months.“What would have to happen for me to be recalled by England? Clearly, the boss would have to go,” Pietersen said in the Evening Standard. “Clarke would have to go, and I’ve been hearing that could happen in the next few months.
“That’s all hearsay, you never know. If there is a change at the top, there is potential, but we will wait and see.”“That’s all hearsay, you never know. If there is a change at the top, there is potential, but we will wait and see.”
It was Clarke who presided, at an eerie press conference alongside Pietersen in Colombo in 2012, over the South Africa-born batsman’s reintegration into the England team.It was Clarke who presided, at an eerie press conference alongside Pietersen in Colombo in 2012, over the South Africa-born batsman’s reintegration into the England team.
That came after a three-month exile imposed on him for sending “provocative” text messages about his own captain Andrew Strauss to members of the opposition South Africa team during a home Test series.That came after a three-month exile imposed on him for sending “provocative” text messages about his own captain Andrew Strauss to members of the opposition South Africa team during a home Test series.
Pietersen is equivocal about where he thinks the power lies at the ECB. “Giles pulls a lot of strings. In terms of cricket, I believe Andy Flower pulls a lot of strings too. He has Giles Clarke in his pocket.”Pietersen is equivocal about where he thinks the power lies at the ECB. “Giles pulls a lot of strings. In terms of cricket, I believe Andy Flower pulls a lot of strings too. He has Giles Clarke in his pocket.”
The ECB declined to comment on Pietersen’s remarks regarding Clarke when approached on Thursday. The ECB declined to comment on Pietersen’s remarks regarding Clarke.
KP: The Autobiography has revealed Pietersen’s account of a culture of “bullying” in the England dressing room during Flower’s regime. Andrew Strauss, meanwhile, has said that English cricket is the principal victim of the “madness” surrounding the revelations and claims in Pietersen’s book.
“There’s been a lot of rumour, innuendo and opinion. I prefer to stick with the facts,” Strauss told Sky. “All this tit-for-tat stuff, I don’t think really helps the England cricket team. The victim here really isn’t Kevin Pietersen, or Flower or Prior or anyone; it’s actually the England cricket team and Alastair Cook and [returning coach] Peter Moores who’ve got to try to take the side forward. That, to me, is the disappointing thing about this whole episode.”
Strauss acknowledged that Pietersen can be proud for having played some of “England’s most memorable innings”, but the former captain said the criticism of Prior and Flower did not sit easily.
“Matt Prior had a massive impact on the English cricket team, both with the bat but also behind the scenes – and was very much the embodiment of the culture we were trying to produce … one of putting the team first.
“Andy Flower is a guy of complete integrity. If you look at [his] record as coach, it’s second to none. He’s achieved phenomenal things, and rightly should be regarded as one of England’s great coaches.”