Decorated batsman Kevin Pietersen’s cricket career in England is officially over after Surrey’s quarter-final.
The 37-year-old boasts and enviable record in all three formats, but has spent his post-international days hammering runs for Twenty20 franchises around the world after his England career ended in 2014. Pietersen returned to training with county side Surrey earlier this year ahead of England’s domestic T20 competition, but he was restricted to two appearances because of a calf injury.
Following Surrey’s quarter-final loss against Birmingham Bears on Friday, Pietersen took to Twitter to break the news. “Surrey’s loss last night means the end of career in England. What an amazing journey!” he posted. “Thank you, Notts, Hants, Surrey, ECB and supporters!”
Pietersen chose to suit up in England’s T20 competition instead of the Caribbean Premier League after last playing with Surrey more than two years earlier. He took the field only twice, however, contributing scored of 52 and four. Pietersen will return to KFC Big Bash League club Melbourne Stars for a fifth season this summer.
He has compiled 884 BBL runs at 40.18, including nine half-centuries, since joining the Stars in 2014. Pietersen was the Stars’ leading run-scorer in BBL|06, notching 268 runs at 38.28. He was the third-leading run-scorer the previous season tournament and second overall in BBL|04. In T20 matches across the globe, Pietersen has over 5000 runs to his name and three centuries, underlining his enduring class.
But he found himself in the headlines last summer after Melbourne Stars’ semi-final defeat against Perth Scorchers, copping a $5,000 fine for labelling an umpiring error an ‘absolute shocker’ on air during the match.
Pietersen also launched an attack on co-commentator and national selector Mark Waugh while on commentary for a BBL fixture between Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes last December, slamming the non-selection of Glenn Maxwell for the third Commonwealth Bank Test against Pakistan at the SCG. Melbourne Stars will start their BBL|07 campaign against Brisbane Heat on December 20.