June 2008 Stands in for the absent Paul Collingwood for Lord's ODI against New Zealand August 4, 2008 Has long discussion with Moores before being named as Michael Vaughan's successor following England's series defeat to South Africa.

Recalls Steve Harmison and stamps his mark on the side August 6, 2008 Moores denies rift with Pietersen.

"He'll be his own man and that's going to be really important," Moores said.

August 7-11, 2008 Cracks a stroke-laden 100 on Test captaincy debut, leading England to a six-wicket win at The Oval.

Begins to talk up England's Ashes chances.

November, 2008 England lose to Stanford Superstars in the Stanford 20/20 for 20.

Admits that England were distracted by off-the-field "nonsense" December, 2008 Leads the full England squad back to India following the Mumbai terrorist attacks that cast a doubt over the tour.

India win the series 1-0 but Pietersen's leadership is highly praised, even though doubts persist about his tactics after India's record run-chase at Chennai December 29, 2008 Michael Vaughan is not picked for England's tour of West Indies in February, a key factor in the dispute which leads to Pietersen's eventual resignation January 1, 2009 Calls for emergency talks with the ECB over the role of Moores January 4, 2009 "Obviously this situation is not healthy," Pietersen writes in his newspaper column.

"We have to make sure it is settled as soon as possible and certainly before we fly off to the West Indies." January 7, 2009 Pietersen resigns, just over five months into his tenure.

Moores, his position now untenable, follows suit Kevin Pietersen has resigned as England's captain, and Peter Moores is understood to have followed suit as coach, leaving the ECB in complete turmoil following the emergency board meeting that took place on Tuesday evening to discuss the rift in the leadership of the team.

In a brief statement, however, the ECB have insisted they have "no knowledge" of the dual departures, although they have admitted that Pietersen was unhappy to tour West Indies under the current management structure.

The 12-man board met by teleconference on Tuesday night, raising the possibility that Pietersen, who had not been due back from his holiday in Africa until Thursday, would pay the price for his outspoken views on the future direction of the England team.

Now, however, it appears that Pietersen has taken his future into his own hands, and handed back the role he took on from Michael Vaughan barely five months ago.

According to Sky News, Pietersen has given as his reasoning the fact that the ECB did not act quickly enough in responding to his demands over Moores' future.

Speaking briefly on the phone, Pietersen told the programme: "I am not in a fit state to talk." Andrew Strauss, who captained England in 2006 when Vaughan was out of the team with injury, is the hot favourite to lead them on the tour of West Indies, which begins in exactly a fortnight's time.

Meanwhile, Moores' departure would come as less of a surprise.

His position became untenable following the revelations of the rift, and there had been little evidence of progress under his tenure and his credibility had been damaged beyond repair.

Cricinfo understands that Andy Flower, Moores' assistant coach, will be offered the interim role for the West Indies tour, although it remains highly debatable whether he will accept the role in the current circumstances.

Speaking to the News of the World earlier in the week, Pietersen said: "This situation is not healthy, we have to make sure it is settled as soon as possible and certainly before we fly off to the West Indies.

Everybody has to have the same aims and pull in the same direction for the good of the England team." Research conducted by the ECB's director of England cricket, Hugh Morris, however, suggested that Pietersen did not have the steadfast support of his team-mates or the back-room staff.

The majority of the England support staff are understood to be supportive of Moores while most of the players are underwhelmed by Pietersen's dramatic intervention, as Steve Harmison demonstrated with his ambivalent comments on Tuesday.

There was also some sympathy towards Moores who, it is understood, was given the authority to select the England captain when Paul Collingwood and Vaughan resigned, and there are those within the set-up who feel that Pietersen had betrayed the coach's trust.

Attitudes towards Pietersen appeared to have hardened at board level.

While few are completely convinced by Moores, they did not like the manner in which the captain has attempted to dictate events.

As one board member told Cricinfo: "People who want to keep their jobs don't issue ultimatums." The news brings to an end a tumultuous five-month reign.

When Pietersen took on the role in August 2008 following Vaughan's resignation, he immediately declared that he intended to do the job "his way".

With a maiden Test triumph over South Africa, followed by a 4-0 victory in the ODIs, his way was the high way during a heady honeymoon period.

But all throughout his tenure, rumours of his dissatisfaction with Moores' methods were never far from the surface.

Pietersen did not accept the job until he had had "clear the air" talks with Moores in the aftermath of Vaughan's resignation, and he later voiced his disapproval of Moores' dogmatic training methods that sapped the team's energy on their tour of New Zealand in March.

Although Kent's coach, Graham Ford, had been touted as Moores' probable successor, his candidature had been raised with a view to finding a man who could work alongside Pietersen.

Ashley Giles is another option, although Warwickshire have warned they may not necessarily keep his job as the county's director of cricket open, should he be asked to fulfil a role as "stop-gap" coach in the Caribbean.