Pietersen and Moores pay price for spat

Eurosport - Thu, 08 Jan 11:15:00 2009

Andrew Strauss will take over as England cricket captain following the resignation of Kevin Pietersen, the ECB said.

Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores - 0

Hugh Morris, after a day of intense speculation, also confirmed that team coach Peter Moores had been asked to "relinquish his role" after Pietersen's resignation, which followed a feud between the captain and coach.

"The ECB have accepted with regret the resignation of Kevin Pietersen as captain," he said, reading a statement at an emergency press conference at The Oval cricket ground in London.

But he added that Pietersen was "highly valued as a senior and experienced player and we are delighted that he has indicated that he is willing to remain part of the England team."

Pietersen, who like Strauss was born in South Africa, had questioned the ability of Moores - who never played international cricket himself - as a coach in a dispute which became public just weeks before England depart on January 21 for their tour of the West Indies.

The duo's dispute also threatened to cast a cloud over the team's build-up for this year's Ashes series at home to Australia.

Morris, who refused to take questions from reporters, said in his statement Pietersen "recognised that in the present situation it was impossible to restore the dressing room unity".

"I have an extremely high respect and regard for Kevin Pietersen but this has become an impossible situation given the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship between captain and coach."

Pietersen, only appointed captain in August and who led the team for just three Tests, said in his own statement issued earlier Wednesday: "I consider it would be extremely difficult for me to continue my current position with the England cricket team.

"Accordingly I have as of this afternoon decided to stand down as England captain with immediate effect."

However, he added: "Notwithstanding my resignation as England captain I fully intend to be part part of both England's Test and One-Day International squad to tour the West Indies next month, and to do all I can to recapture the Ashes during the summer.

"I'm extremely sad and disappointed to have to relinquish the captaincy at such an early stage especially in a crucial year for England cricket in such circumstances, and particularly when I feel that I have had much more to offer the England team as captain.

"However, this decision will not affect my determination to continue playing international cricket for England, doing all I can to win matches for the team and supporting whoever captains the team in the future," the 28-year-old star batsman insisted.

Strauss stood in as England captain in 2006 when Michael Vaughan was injured and led the side to a series win over Pakistan.

Morris added the board would announce their coaching set-up for the Caribbean tour "as soon as possible" and would then embark on an immediate search for a new permanent head coach.

Pietersen gave credence to longstanding rumours that his relationship with Moores was in trouble by telling Sunday's News of the World newspaper: "This situation is not healthy... Everybody has to have the same aims and pull in the same direction for the good of the England team."

Pietersen is currently on holiday in South Africa and not due back in England until Thursday.

Although well thought of by both the management and his colleagues, 31-year-old Strauss, unlike Pietersen, is not currently a member of the England one-day side.

Pietersen, who quit South Africa for England because he believed his progress was being blocked by racial quotas, was handed the England captaincy in August following Vaughan's tearful resignation.

His first match in full charge saw him score a century as England defeated South Africa in the final, 'dead rubber' Test at The Oval before overwhelming the Proteas 4-0 in the ensuing limited overs series.

Pietersen won widespread praise for persuading his teammates to resume their tour of India after the Mumbai terror attacks.

But on the field, England failed to defend a 387-run target during the first Test against India in Chennai.

Reports then emerged that Pietersen had been unhappy with the quality of the tactical input he had received from Moores, whom he had previously criticised for working the players too hard physically on last year's tour of New Zealand.

AFP

Comment 219 - 238 of 258

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  1. Re: comments made by WalkingSex1. I couldn't agree­ more. The standard of language which often appears on­ this board written by cretins is pathetic ,and yet so­ often when trying to make a rational comment you­ get" Invalid Comment" from Yahoo.

    From BIJ, on Wed 7 Jan 10:30PM

  2. Very silly and needless behaviour. Having said this­ though, it is better for the England team not to have­ these underlying problems for the cricket ahead and­ resolve the problems as soon as they arise. KP will­ have to play for his place as does every player in the­ team and this should be the case so that the team­ performs well.

    From Harry, on Wed 7 Jan 10:26PM

  3. Kevin Pietersen should have been encouraged to remian­ as England captain. There is no more dedicated­ cricketer then him.

    It is such a pity the old farts of­ cricket have again allowd the game to be ruled by­ politics. It is about time people with a "go get­ em" attitude such as Botham and Peterson were­ allowed to make Eglish cricket something to be proud­ of.

    What a waste of a captain that was sure to inspire­ the game we love.

    From stevetowler, on Wed 7 Jan 10:21PM

  4. Why did you English see it fit to give the captaincy to­ a South African reject?You have just given it to­ another South African .Cant you find your own born and­ bred good cricketers.Same with your rugby.Now full of­ New Zealanders and all kind.Problem is you are too­ lazy,pampered.Get up your backsides and roll up your­ sleeves otherwise you will remain mediocre in every­ sport.

    From kenneth, on Wed 7 Jan 10:20PM

  5. For the sake of English cricket, bring back Michael­ Vaughen, although out of touch scoring runs which will­ come if the correct team selection support him. He is a­ brilliant tactition and should never have been left out­ of any test team. His knowledge is second to none about­ opponents. Although coming to the end of his career in­ test cricket, his guidence for future test captains is­ invaluable.

    From harry, on Wed 7 Jan 10:17PM

  6. For the sake of English cricket, bring back Michael­ Vaughen, although out of touch scoring runs which will­ come if the correct team selection support him. He is a­ brilliant tactition and should never have been left out­ of any test team. His knowledge is second to none about­ opponents. Although coming to the end of his career in­ test cricket, his guidence for future test captains is­ invaluable.

    From harry, on Wed 7 Jan 10:16PM

  7. I was staggered that people such as Nasser Hussain­ whose cricketing comments i usually respect has fallen­ into the same trap other desperately seeking a return­ to some kind of glory would fall down to the pathetic­ levels football has fallen and let 'player­ power' begin to rule. Now this has heaped more­ disrespect on us as a major period of cricket comes­ upon us. Pieterson is a great player but Strauss should­ have been first choice from the start, experience when­ playing at the top level is vital. What a balls up.

    From Dave, on Wed 7 Jan 10:01PM

  8. @#$%

    From rob.ellington, on Wed 7 Jan 9:29PM

  9. Peiterson too big for his boots

    From KEVIN L, on Wed 7 Jan 9:26PM

  10. And the irony of the whole thing is that Andrew Strauss­ was born in Johannesburg, not to mention old Nassar,­ who was born in India. And Dobbo, what the @#$% are you­ talking about? South Africans all mouth? We just beat­ Australia in a test series on their own turf. When was­ the last time England managed to do that?

    From , on Wed 7 Jan 9:06PM

  11. The reason you support your team is not because you­ think they are world champions but because you love and­ adore your national team, despite the fact that you­ personally may be totally despondent of their bad­ performances on the pitch. Football is my first love,­ but i'll support ENGLAND in any sport that they­ participate. If England are not present I'll look­ to one of the home national teams to lift my dour mood­ and feelings of despondency as once again an English­ team fails to deliver the goods. And, no, I do not­ expect to win everything, but it would be nice to win­ something more than once every 40 years or so. 66 and­ that imitation cup i think they call Rugby :-) English­ and proud, British and equally proud.

    From Marcus, on Wed 7 Jan 8:42PM

  12. and mphenri how can you say england treats places badly­ 1 word
    apartide

    From William, on Wed 7 Jan 8:26PM

  13. kim_lowe72 how can you talk about english football wen­ was the last time southafrica won anything vaguely­ realted to football

    From William, on Wed 7 Jan 8:20PM

  14. @#$% captain, @#$% coach....lets move on!!

    From ., on Wed 7 Jan 8:14PM

  15. Invalid comments are a total load of absolute @#$%­ @#$%. I am only posting this to prove that the whole­ invalid comment thing is totally stupid. I can swear as­ much as I like, call Yahoo a load of @#$% pots and this­ post will appear. But make some sensible comments about­ sport and you get invalid comment. The appearance of­ this proves that I am right. Why don't they give us­ an idea of what they think is invalid. Dic k heads

    From walkingsex1, on Wed 7 Jan 8:10PM

  16. Anyone noticed on the South African cricketers gloves,­ it says WASP? Couldnt mean White Anglo Saxon­ Protestants could it, lol. :))

    From eric, on Wed 7 Jan 8:05PM

  17. Cricket? who cares!

    From Ali G, on Wed 7 Jan 7:45PM

  18. No doubt bald and not very well endowed. Soory do I­ need to explain what that means to you?

    From kerry h, on Wed 7 Jan 7:24PM

  19. Dobby. What a @#$%.

    From kerry h, on Wed 7 Jan 7:23PM

  20. kim_lowe72 - agree its worldwide but never so much as­ in your beloved @#$%-ry. You are all a bunch of scummy­ racists.

    From Mike S, on Wed 7 Jan 7:04PM
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