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| Alastair Cook: Kevin Pietersen decision rests with ECB, not me | Alastair Cook: Kevin Pietersen decision rests with ECB, not me |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Alastair Cook insists any decision over a potential international return for Kevin Pietersen will rest with the senior hierarchy at the England and Wales Cricket Board and not himself. | Alastair Cook insists any decision over a potential international return for Kevin Pietersen will rest with the senior hierarchy at the England and Wales Cricket Board and not himself. |
| The England captain and the head coach Peter Moores presented a united front as they spoke on Thursday before the senior side’s flight to Saint Kitts, for the start of the three-Test tour of the Caribbean. | The England captain and the head coach Peter Moores presented a united front as they spoke on Thursday before the senior side’s flight to Saint Kitts, for the start of the three-Test tour of the Caribbean. |
| The subject of Pietersen has dominated the agenda since the start of March, when the incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves suggested only runs in the County Championship could lead the exiled batsman play for England again. | The subject of Pietersen has dominated the agenda since the start of March, when the incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves suggested only runs in the County Championship could lead the exiled batsman play for England again. |
| Related: Jason Gillespie: Joe Root is ready to lead England … he would embrace it | |
| After phone conversations with Graves, the 34-year-old batsman then arranged to skip the bulk of the upcoming Indian Premier League and sign a deal to play four-day cricket for Surrey in the hope of forcing his way back in. | After phone conversations with Graves, the 34-year-old batsman then arranged to skip the bulk of the upcoming Indian Premier League and sign a deal to play four-day cricket for Surrey in the hope of forcing his way back in. |
| But while Cook is understood to be against Pietersen playing for England again, he was adamant that Graves, the chief executive Tom Harrison and the managing director Paul Downton were the men to ask about it. “I’m a long way away from that decision,” said Cook. “It’s down to Paul, Tom and Colin. | But while Cook is understood to be against Pietersen playing for England again, he was adamant that Graves, the chief executive Tom Harrison and the managing director Paul Downton were the men to ask about it. “I’m a long way away from that decision,” said Cook. “It’s down to Paul, Tom and Colin. |
| “It’s not down to us. We’ve got 16 guys going to West Indies who are desperate to start turning round English cricket from what’s happened over the last three months. We need to get back to winning ways and it’s about a brand of cricket and trying to win this series. It’s about 16 guys and the support staff. The ECB will have to deal with everything else.’ | “It’s not down to us. We’ve got 16 guys going to West Indies who are desperate to start turning round English cricket from what’s happened over the last three months. We need to get back to winning ways and it’s about a brand of cricket and trying to win this series. It’s about 16 guys and the support staff. The ECB will have to deal with everything else.’ |
| “We have 16 guys going to West Indies, desperate to turn around our cricket. The brand of cricket, it’s about the series. [Pietersen] is for ECB hierarchy to deal with.” | “We have 16 guys going to West Indies, desperate to turn around our cricket. The brand of cricket, it’s about the series. [Pietersen] is for ECB hierarchy to deal with.” |
| Moores, who saw his first spell as England coach end in January 2009 after a breakdown of his working relationship with Pietersen, would not be drawn on his views on the basis it would detract from the 16 players heading out to face West Indies. “Kevin isn’t on the radar – he can’t be in mine or Cooky’s focus at all,” he said. “It’s not about me getting personal, it’s about the focus of an England team.” | Moores, who saw his first spell as England coach end in January 2009 after a breakdown of his working relationship with Pietersen, would not be drawn on his views on the basis it would detract from the 16 players heading out to face West Indies. “Kevin isn’t on the radar – he can’t be in mine or Cooky’s focus at all,” he said. “It’s not about me getting personal, it’s about the focus of an England team.” |
| The pressure on the duo increased last week when Graves, who does not officially start his role until May, claimed West Indies were a “mediocre” side and “there would be inquiries” should England fail to return from the Caribbean with a series win under their belt. | The pressure on the duo increased last week when Graves, who does not officially start his role until May, claimed West Indies were a “mediocre” side and “there would be inquiries” should England fail to return from the Caribbean with a series win under their belt. |
| But Moores, who was lucky to survive a dismal World Cup campaign in which his side exited at the group stage, believes he can look only to the next three Tests, starting in Antigua on 13 April. “It doesn’t work like that,” said Moores, when asked if he had been told his job would hinge on the next five weeks. “We’re in a results business. Tom and Colin have come in. Tom has been great. I’m focusing on what’s in front of us. We’ve got new players in and Jonathan Trott back.” | But Moores, who was lucky to survive a dismal World Cup campaign in which his side exited at the group stage, believes he can look only to the next three Tests, starting in Antigua on 13 April. “It doesn’t work like that,” said Moores, when asked if he had been told his job would hinge on the next five weeks. “We’re in a results business. Tom and Colin have come in. Tom has been great. I’m focusing on what’s in front of us. We’ve got new players in and Jonathan Trott back.” |
| Cook dismissed Graves’ assessment and maintains West Indies will provide stern opposition at the start of a run of 17 Test matches in just over eight months. “Anyone who has got to cross the line and face 90 mph bowling from the likes of Kemar Roach will have a different view,” he said. “The team has a different view to that. Any series requires a huge amount of skill to win it. It’s irrelevant to us. We’re there to take wickets and score runs.” | Cook dismissed Graves’ assessment and maintains West Indies will provide stern opposition at the start of a run of 17 Test matches in just over eight months. “Anyone who has got to cross the line and face 90 mph bowling from the likes of Kemar Roach will have a different view,” he said. “The team has a different view to that. Any series requires a huge amount of skill to win it. It’s irrelevant to us. We’re there to take wickets and score runs.” |