Kevin Pietersen apologised on Wednesday for sending “provocative” text messages to South African players but team officials said it was too soon to say if he still had a future as an England player. Last weekend, star batsman Pietersen was dramatically dropped from the squad for this week’s third and final Test at Lord’s, despite scoring a superb 149 in the drawn second Test at Headingley.
Pietersen was axed for failing to reveal the contents of those text messages, some of which were said to contain criticisms of England captain Andrew Strauss. South Africa-born Pietersen, in an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement, admitted: “I did send what you might call provocative texts to my close friends in the SA team. “The texts were meant as banter between close friends. I need to rein myself in sometimes. I apologise to Straussy and the team for the inappropriate remarks at the press conference and for the texts.
“I truly didn’t mean to cause upset or tension particularly with important games at stake.” England managing director Hugh Morris said: “We are in receipt of Kevin’s apology but further discussions need to take place to establish whether it is possible to regain the trust and mutual respect required to ensure all parties are able to focus on playing cricket and to maintain the unity of purpose that has served us so well in recent years.
Absent Pietersen casts shadow over Test finale: Rarely has all the talk in the build-up in a build up to a Test been dominated by a man who will not be playing in the match. Yet England’s dramatic decision to drop Kevin Pietersen from the third Test at Lord’s starting Thursday, allegedly over text messages he sent to South Africa during the drawn second Test at Headingley has inevitably put the focus on their absent star batsman. The South Africa-born shotmaker averages nearly 50 in Tests and made a superb 149 at Headingley, where he drove South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn back over his head for six.
Strauss speaks out on Pietersen affair: England captain Andrew Strauss entered the debate over the controversial omission of Kevin Pietersen from this week’s third Test on Tuesday, saying he regretted “dirty laundry” being aired in public. Last weekend, Pietersen was dramatically dropped from England’s squad, despite scoring a superb 149 in the second Test at Headingley, after failing to reveal the contents of text messages allegedly sent to South African players during that match. Some of those texts are said to include derogatory comments about Strauss and England coach Andy Flower.
