KP’S FUTURE IS STEMMED BY FLOWER Pietersen issues still unresolved
CRICKET
ENGLAND’S team director Andy Flower will not commit to whether Kevin Pietersen has any international future.
Pietersen has been unsurprisingly omitted from the limited-overs series against South Africa as well as the ICC World Twenty20, which gets under way in Sri Lanka next month.
The 32-year-old was the player of the tournament as England won the competition in 2010, but was dropped for the final Test against South Africa after admitting sending “provocative” text messages to members of the Proteas team.
Superbly
And Flower has mirrored Test captain Andrew Strauss’ sentiments that several issues need to be addressed before KP can return to the dressing room.
“It’s a very sad situation for everyone involved,” Flower said.
“He played superbly in our last Twenty20 World Cup but the circumstances that exist at the moment mean that he can’t be selected for us.
“There are still issues unresolved and we will be addressing them when we have time.
“Let me just be clear, this is not just an issue between the captain and Kevin.
“There are deeper issues. The problems of trust, mutual respect and other unresolved issues that have reared their heads in the last few weeks.
“You resolve these issues face-to-face with people, not through agents or PR agencies.”
England will begin next year’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign against rivals Australia on June 8 at Edgbaston, with other matches being played in Cardiff and at The Oval.
The tournament, hosted by England, will begin with a clash between India and South Africa on June 6, 2013.
Group A features Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka while India, Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies will compete in Group B.