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| Kevin Pietersen hits back at claims he was ‘disinterested’ during Ashes | Kevin Pietersen hits back at claims he was ‘disinterested’ during Ashes |
| (3 months later) | |
| Kevin Pietersen has hit back at accusations by the managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board that he had “never seen anyone as disinterested or distracted” during the final Ashes Test in Sydney in January. | Kevin Pietersen has hit back at accusations by the managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board that he had “never seen anyone as disinterested or distracted” during the final Ashes Test in Sydney in January. |
| Paul Downton had also suggested that terminating the contract of the temperamental batsman was a popular decision within the squad, saying: “I talked to every person on the management team and quite a few senior players, and I could not find one supporter who wanted Kevin to stay in the side.” | Paul Downton had also suggested that terminating the contract of the temperamental batsman was a popular decision within the squad, saying: “I talked to every person on the management team and quite a few senior players, and I could not find one supporter who wanted Kevin to stay in the side.” |
| Pietersen responded with a statement on his website on Friday in which he said: “The suggestion that I was uninterested during the winter Ashes series against Australia is wholly untrue. Although I was having injections in my knee, which inhibited my mobility and thus my ability to field close to the wicket, I was fully motivated to play for England and while I accept that the series as a whole fell well below my personal standards, I finished the series as the top scorer. | Pietersen responded with a statement on his website on Friday in which he said: “The suggestion that I was uninterested during the winter Ashes series against Australia is wholly untrue. Although I was having injections in my knee, which inhibited my mobility and thus my ability to field close to the wicket, I was fully motivated to play for England and while I accept that the series as a whole fell well below my personal standards, I finished the series as the top scorer. |
| “I did, and continue to have a good relationship with most of the England players, which has been subsequently highlighted by a number of press interviews. With regard to the criticisms aimed at my ‘the way I play type attitude’, I feel it’s only reasonable to remind Mr Downton that this method has brought me over 13,500 runs for England, in addition to being part of four Ashes-winning teams and a world T20-winning side, all of which achievements I am hugely proud of.” | “I did, and continue to have a good relationship with most of the England players, which has been subsequently highlighted by a number of press interviews. With regard to the criticisms aimed at my ‘the way I play type attitude’, I feel it’s only reasonable to remind Mr Downton that this method has brought me over 13,500 runs for England, in addition to being part of four Ashes-winning teams and a world T20-winning side, all of which achievements I am hugely proud of.” |
| Pietersen was careful to reference the “confidentiality clauses that the ECB were insistent on imposing in the settlement agreement”, but he and his advisers clearly decided that a lengthy interview given to Thursday’s Test Match Special by Downton demanded a response. | Pietersen was careful to reference the “confidentiality clauses that the ECB were insistent on imposing in the settlement agreement”, but he and his advisers clearly decided that a lengthy interview given to Thursday’s Test Match Special by Downton demanded a response. |
| Downton had described Pietersen as “a luxury player” with “too many different agendas” and also pointed out, as he had done at the press conference at which Peter Moores was reappointed England’s coach in April, that it was Pietersen’s decision to terminate his England contract, which ran until September. | Downton had described Pietersen as “a luxury player” with “too many different agendas” and also pointed out, as he had done at the press conference at which Peter Moores was reappointed England’s coach in April, that it was Pietersen’s decision to terminate his England contract, which ran until September. |
| Pietersen insisted that he had no alternative but to terminate his central contract even if the final decision was technically his. He had avoided any of the specifics of his departure since it was announced by the ECB on 5 February in a statement in which he expressed his “deep regret” that he would never play for England again. | Pietersen insisted that he had no alternative but to terminate his central contract even if the final decision was technically his. He had avoided any of the specifics of his departure since it was announced by the ECB on 5 February in a statement in which he expressed his “deep regret” that he would never play for England again. |
| That was largely down to the confidentiality clauses in the termination agreement which expire in the autumn, with Pietersen already booked in for a corporate question and answer session at London’s Savoy Hotel to coincide with the publication of his account of the saga. | That was largely down to the confidentiality clauses in the termination agreement which expire in the autumn, with Pietersen already booked in for a corporate question and answer session at London’s Savoy Hotel to coincide with the publication of his account of the saga. |
| In a response published on his website Pietersen said: “While I have always abided by the confidentiality clauses that the ECB were insistent on imposing in the settlement agreement I entered into with them at the time of the termination of my central contract, I feel it only fair to exercise my right to reply to the comments made by Paul Downton in an interview that took place on Test Match Special. Aside from the strange timing of the interview during an ODI, the comments regarding the cancellation of my contract should be put in perspective. It was made very clear to me that I was not being selected for the World T20 squad, and the ECB did not try to give me the remotest confidence that I would be seriously considered for selection for England again. | |
| “Had I allowed my contract to ‘wind down’ as the ECB proposed, I would not only have forfeited the performance-related elements that are part of the England player remuneration, but more importantly my availability as a professional cricketer would have remained under the control of the ECB for a further eight months.” | “Had I allowed my contract to ‘wind down’ as the ECB proposed, I would not only have forfeited the performance-related elements that are part of the England player remuneration, but more importantly my availability as a professional cricketer would have remained under the control of the ECB for a further eight months.” |
| He added, pointedly: “I will continue to abide by the confidentiality provisions contained in my settlement agreement, which I believe applies to both the ECB and myself.” Pietersen’s agent refused to say whether that was an inference that the ECB have breached those confidentiality provisions. | He added, pointedly: “I will continue to abide by the confidentiality provisions contained in my settlement agreement, which I believe applies to both the ECB and myself.” Pietersen’s agent refused to say whether that was an inference that the ECB have breached those confidentiality provisions. |
| Pietersen then retweeted a number of supportive comments, before concluding: “And now I’m going for a beer in Mumbai. Goodnight.” | Pietersen then retweeted a number of supportive comments, before concluding: “And now I’m going for a beer in Mumbai. Goodnight.” |