ENGLAND WRONG TO DROP ROY: PIETERSEN
Kevin Pietersen believes it was a “poor decision” by England to drop Jason Roy during the Champions Trophy, a tournament he believes the hosts “should have won” in their own conditions. Before the one-day competition got underway, struggling opening batsman Roy was given unequivocal backing by England captain Eoin Morgan, who said he would “definitely” stay in the side for the whole tournament. But after managing just 51 runs in eight ODI innings so far this season, Roy was dropped for England’s semi-final against Pakistan and replaced at the top of the order by Jonny Bairstow. Test wicket-keeper Bairstow made 43 but England, previously unbeaten in the eight-team tournament, collapsed to 211 all out in a match eventual champions Pakistan won by a commanding eight wickets in Cardiff. “Everybody struggles, it’s a learning curve,” said former England captain Pietersen, who has played alongside Roy at county side Surrey, at the launch of the South African Global League Twenty20 tournament in London on Monday.
Uthappa exits Karnataka, Kerala set to welcome him
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After representing Karnataka for 15 years, India player Robin Uthappa is high on the radar of the Kerala Cricket Association which is all set to sign him, according to a top official. KCA secretary Jayesh George said they have already expressed their desire to sign up the seasoned campaigner. “He has exited from Karnataka and we have also written to him with our offer to accept him. What we understand is that at the moment he is out of the country. Once he is back, we expect to hear from him. We are confident that he will play for Kerala very soon,” George said. Uthappa’s connection with Kerala is that his mother hails from here while his father is from Coorg, the Karnataka hill station that borders Irrity in Kannur district.