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 179 - 198 of 258

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  1. kerry h did rob key do something bad to you like sleep­ with your mum or is it that you just dont like him stop­ being so abusive you fool

    From The Dobbo, on Wed 7 Jan 6:00PM

  2. Love KP but think he has acted like a petulant school­ boy, grow up and be a man! Think Rob Key would be a­ great captain, maybe KP as coach?!!!

    From lawrenceclaire, on Wed 7 Jan 5:58PM

  3. All those who want Rob Key as captain ask yourself­ this: Is he too fat, too rubbish and too thick. As for­ Ramprakash, why not bring back Gough, throw Harmison­ back in and just call it a dance troop. English cricket­ is enough of a laughing stock without making it a team­ of dancers.

    From kerry h, on Wed 7 Jan 5:52PM

  4. Rob Key as Captain and Botham as coach? that must be­ the thickest combination of two English cricketers you­ could get. Oh hang on I was forgetting Ian Bell.

    From kerry h, on Wed 7 Jan 5:49PM

  5. 6pm tonight, press release by the ecb!

    From sascha, on Wed 7 Jan 5:46PM

  6. This development will only catalyze the down fall of­ English Cricket.

    From Emmveeyem, on Wed 7 Jan 5:37PM

  7. rob key is the man! get him in a.s.a.p. good ridence­ moores . no more backward steps get gooch and atherton­ in too!!

    From Greg, on Wed 7 Jan 5:22PM

  8. I'm an open minded girl from US, I'm interested­ in exotic things, photography, dating and sports...I­ have my photos on --- Tallhub Co m ---, I love tall­ guys!
    Do you love traveling and have some experience?­ Just find me out.

    From Xioasd S, on Wed 7 Jan 5:22PM

  9. What kind of Dodo suggests an Italian as manager? -­ they know nothing about cricket, and neither does the­ moron of suggested it. Stick to your football and allow­ the ENGLISH game to remain English, albeit with a South­ African as captain, and ruling who it should be played.­
    Can you imagine the likes of Botham, Boycott, Hussain,­ Illingworth and Compton, all great players allowing a­ coach to tell them what to do - suggest if you have the­ talent - if not - Shut Up.

    From scribe1941, on Wed 7 Jan 5:19PM

  10. To be honest I thought KP would not last the course,­ also this is his excuse to jump before the Australian­ tour.

    Stevehaw78.

    From Steven, on Wed 7 Jan 5:18PM

  11. KP a legend in his own time? more like in his own mind!­ cricket is bigger than any individual, and despite all­ that has happened they will come good, what they­ don't need is a foreigner as England's captain,­ that's a job for an Englishman, where you get one­ that's good enough, well, that's another story.­ Ned Kelly

    From jcastledineruiz, on Wed 7 Jan 5:16PM

  12. woop woop
    who cares

    From Alex, on Wed 7 Jan 4:47PM

  13. lol @191

    From monty23, on Wed 7 Jan 4:47PM

  14. KP is one of the few players whose performance level­ has not dropped since being appointed captain. There­ are some people whose performance levels drop as soon­ as they are made captain. In recent years Graham Gooch­ flourished as a batsman after being made captain KP­ has done the same. Just look at the history books.

    In­ my humble opinion, a captain should be a captain, a­ coach should be a coach, and there should be a sensible­ supremo who overlooks the whole thing. Why does the­ coach have to be the supremo. Look up the word­ 'coach' in the dictionary. Chairman of­ selectors should be one of a commitee of three that­ choose the team, possibly a cricket tactician as number­ 4 commitee member, with the captain having three votes,­ the others having one each. After the match, the­ captain is interviewed and either carries the can, or­ gloats accordingly. None of the others are interviewed­ at that stage of the game. If you are going to carry­ the can for a loss, input should be at the same level.­ So simple. For KP to go at this stage of the game is a­ total @#$% up.

    In the meantime, the chairman of the­ selectors should not be sitting comfortably in an­ armchair in England on the end of a phone line - he­ should be there !!!

    Get your act in order guys.­ Properly !!!

    From Michael J, on Wed 7 Jan 4:46PM

  15. Can I date a house in Crewe, and buy an open minded­ American girl!!!!???? LMAO at these morons!

    Get Gooch­ called up for coach and Key for captain!

    From cat g, on Wed 7 Jan 4:40PM

  16. in my opinion rob key is your man

    From The Dobbo, on Wed 7 Jan 4:39PM

  17. kevin pietersen is a legend !!!!! :)

    From antruddick, on Wed 7 Jan 4:38PM

  18. I SO look forward to coming to these pages so that I­ can date a girl who likes tall guys AND buy a house in­ Crewe! What are these people ON?

    Neither Pietersen­ nor Moores were terribly good choices but KP is right­ about needing everyone to pull in the same direction.

    From oyster250, on Wed 7 Jan 4:27PM

  19. robert key the man to reunite the dressing room and­ lead by example

    From andy, on Wed 7 Jan 4:27PM

  20. Why not Ramprakash? Consistently leading the county­ batting averages and there must also be a case for some­ new thinking - the current senior test players have­ been together for some time. Strauss is solid but there­ some other county captains with huge experience so­ let's not just consider the existing team.

    Nigel,­ Yorkshire

    From nigel.bonson, on Wed 7 Jan 4:19PM
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