England will be providing no details of any of the rumoured breaches of team discipline or ethics by Kevin Pietersen in Australia this winter, despite widespread demands for further explanation of the decision to sack him.
Instead they are insisting that Pietersen’s departure – after 104 Tests, 32 centuries and a record 13,797 runs – was purely down to the conclusion, “unanimous” among the England management, that at 33, and with a recent history of knee problems, they were better off rebuilding without him.
That will cut little ice with the majority of England cricket followers who expressed immediate opinion. Predictably, Piers Morgan was the most voluble, describing Alastair Cook, who as captain was involved in the discussions that led to the decision, as “a repulsive little weasel”.
Morgan urged his millions of Twitter followers to demand further explanation from the England and Wales Cricket Board, and the former captain Michael Vaughan also argued that the statement agreed between the ECB and Pietersen was insufficient.
“Would love to know what he does that is unmanageable,” Vaughan tweeted. “Think the ECB have to explain to everyone exactly what Pietersen has done so we can all have clarity and reasoning.”
Vaughan also said that as England have only just started the search for a new team director following the resignation of Andy Flower, the new man should be allowed to decide for himself on Pietersen –a point which perhaps strengthens the position of Ashley Giles as favourite.
Giles, who has been in charge of England’s 50-over and Twenty20 teams since November 2012, was also involved in the decision as a member of the management group, even though he must now do without Pietersen next month for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh which he has admitted could be crucial to his chances.
Paul Downton, the former England wicketkeeper who recently succeeded Hugh Morris as the ECB’s managing director of England cricket after years working in the City, took responsibility for the decision – and was quickly dubbed DowntonShabby by Morgan and others on Twitter.
“Clearly this was a tough decision because Kevin has been such an outstanding player for England as the fact that he is the country’s leading run scorer in international cricket demonstrates,” Downton said.
“However everyone was aware that there was a need to begin the long term planning after the Australia tour. Therefore we have decided the time is right to look to the future and start to rebuild not only the team but also team ethic and philosophy.
“England cricket owes a debt of gratitude to Kevin who has proved to be one of the most talented and exciting players to ever represent the country and his 13,797 runs are a testimony to his immense skill.
“This decision brings some clarity now for the future of the England teams and we all wish Kevin the very best in the rest of his career.”
The statement also included a response from Pietersen, suggesting an agreement has been made on the remainder of his central contract, which was due to run until September. “Playing cricket for my country has been an honour,” he was quoted as saying. “Every time I pulled on the England shirt was a moment of huge pride for me and that is something that will live with me forever.
“Although I am obviously very sad the incredible journey has come to an end, I’m also hugely proud of what we, as a team, have achieved over the past nine years.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have played at a time of great success for England cricket alongside some of the best cricketers the country has ever produced.
“I want to thank everyone for their fantastic support and I wish the team the very best of success going forward.
“I believe I have a great deal still to give as a cricketer. I will continue to play but deeply regret that it won’t be for England.”
There will be a lucrative consolation for Pietersen next week when he enters the Indian Premier League auction, and will now be available to play in a full season for the first time – which will make him an even more valuable commodity.
There is bitter irony in the fact that the root of his problems with Flower was a desire to play more IPL cricket but now the chance has arisen it will deny him achieving the remaining goals in international cricket that he outlined before his 100th Test in Brisbane last November – playing in the 2015 World Cup, and then touring South Africa the following winter.
In the absence of any detailed explanation from England, even informed observers who have remained close to the dressing room, such as the former captain Nasser Hussain, were left to speculate about the reasons.
“There were rumours of things going on behind the scenes in Australia … and obviously Andy Flower has made his thoughts felt,” Hussain said on Sky Sports News.
“It’s a bold move when you go without one of your best players … so there must have been things that were happening behind the scenes that Flower and Cook weren’t amused with. It would be nice to know from the ECB, if you’re going to axe one of your best players, what those things were.
“It is about man-management – however disruptive a player is, you can still try to manage most players. But history tells you with Kevin he hasn’t really got a foot to stand on – whether it be back in Natal or Hampshire or Nottinghamshire, or Peter Moores or Andrew Strauss or Alastair Cook or Andy Flower, wherever he has been he has been a problem.
“Eventually English cricket has said ‘enough is enough’. Some people believe in cutting out the virus and moving on; other people just say ‘man-manage your best players’. There is no easy solution. He is arguably one of the best players England have ever produced.
“Andy Flower said they are going to have to take some pain, going into this new era, and I think we all know and see now what he meant by that.”
