The sham that is the fallout over the Kevin Pietersen sacking by the England and Wales Cricket Board, continues to beggar belief. Still no nearer to an explanation as to why the ECB has taken the decision to end England’s best and most influential player’s career. However, the less said in support of Pietersen by his former employers and team-mates, the more the whispers turn to rumour and innuendo.
This sorry saga has stirred up a hornets nest and there has been no let up in the criticism levelled at the ECB from former England players and celebrity fans. Ian Botham wrote a scathing attack on the game’s administrators in his Mirror column, stating that he is ”baffled”, ”exasperated” and ”disgusted”, that the ECB sought to brush the issue under the carpet without a statement issued to to the player or fans.
”The ECB can’t hide behind their blazers and wait for the fuss to die down. They can’t leave everyone to speculate why England have ditched one of their finest players.” Botham said.
The biggest supporter of Pietersen has been Piers Morgan, whose constant Twitter attacks on the ECB, new managing director, Paul Downton, former England team director, Andy Flower, captain, Alastair Cook and vice-captain, Matt Prior has gone viral. Former England captain, Michael Vaughan, called the decision to sack Pietersen ”madness”.
Morgan called the ECB ”clowns” and Cook, the ”worst captain in the history of English cricket”, ”treacherous” and a ”weasel”. The opinion of many pundits, former players and commentators, is that the full story is not being told. The ECB’s statement needs to be transparent because the question everyone is asking is: What did Pietersen do exactly, to warrant his omission, and Why the omerta?
Despite all the mad frenzy surrounding talk of treachery, backstabbing and dislike amongst many in the England squad, Cook was agitated during press conferences in Australia, during the One-Day-International series, when quizzed on his relationship with his star player. Rumours of confrontation before the fifth Test match in Sydney, have been dismissed by all parties, but it has been acknowledged that Pietersen had questioned the ”overbearing” nature of Flower’s leadership in a team meeting, called by senior players in Melbourne, after the defeat in the fourth Test.
It has been revealed in the Telegraph that Cook and Pietersen did disagree over training, the next day; Cook wanted to hold a physical fitness session, blaming their defeats on not being fit, Pietersen disagreed, feeling that the team was as fit as at any time in his career. This would not have gone down too well with either, captain or coach, and only caused more resentment between them.
For whatever the reasons are for his dismissal, his reintegration, had obviously not worked. Graeme Swann, known not to be one of the South African’s allies, felt differently and said: ”He made a huge effort to improve the dressing room. I saw or heard no issues with him in Australia this winter, his approach was exceptional.”
Swann added: ”Clearly, Kevin must have upset people enough, for the England hierarchy to decide he is no longer wanted.”
Swann had been accused of targeting his former team-mate when he made disparaging remarks about players ”heads up their own backsides”, but denied it was about Pietersen. If they were not, then who? Players don’t always all get on, so this might be seen as a rift involving other members of the squad; the tour was a disaster and there were bound to be some grumblings from within.
Perhaps the most damning verdict on this fiasco is the silence of Pietersen’s former team-mates. There has been no support or sympathies expressed towards him from anyone who was on the tour down under, other than Swann. It is known that Pietersen was respected by the younger players but the antipathy still runs deep with the veterans of the team. Not a peep from Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Prior, Cook or Flower.
The less established players, players coming into the fold and players playing for their places. Michael Carberry, Monty Panesar, Tim Bresnan, Chris Tremlett, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Garry Balance, Ben Stokes, Scott Borthwick, Boyd Rankin, James Treadwell and Steven Finn (it must be assumed due to non-existent public support) have not spoken out. This could be for fear of mistrust, and do not want to rock the boat and put their careers on the line for a doomed man. The silence is deafening and speaks louder than words, the verdict clear and brutal: you’re not welcome anymore.