Pietersen did not square up to Cook, says angry wife
Star also backed by Warne and Botham
Thursday 6 February 2014 KEVIN Pietersen’s wife has sprung to his defence and denied claims that her husband and his former captain Alastair Cook “squared up” in Sydney while England were descending to an Ashes whitewash.
Jessica Taylor, a singer with Liberty X, took to Twitter to rebuke Sky Sports pundit Dominic Cork, the former England bowler, over his understanding of how badly Pietersen and his Test captain’s relationship suffered in Australia this winter.
Pietersen’s England career is over, it was announced on Tuesday night, as management and selectors seek to establish a new era for Cook’s team in the absence of their all-time record run-scorer in all formats.
Pietersen’s wife, and former England captain Michael Vaughan, both took issue with Cork’s depiction of an “altercation” between captain and senior batsman as tempers were lost in Sydney.
“Dominic Cork – there was no ‘squaring up’ to Alastair Cook or ‘off-field antics’ in Australia – you are lying, plain & simple,” Taylor wrote. “Regurgitating rumour and spinning it as fact is not what I’d call responsible journalism. The public deserve so much better – the truth.”
Vaughan responded in similar tone, acknowledging there were bound to be raised emotions during England’s Ashes campaign but questioning the situation escalated as has been reported. “With the way England were playing I am sure players had lots of strong debate in the Dressing Room,” wrote Vaughan. “But squaring up??? #Nonsense.”
Cork had
earlier
told AlAstAir Cook is the right man to captain England in future, despite the abject Ashes tour to Australia, Graham Gooch has insisted.
Debate has raged on the future of the England team following the 5-0 Ashes whitewash and Andy Flower has already resigned as team director. Cook’s position has also come under scrutiny but England batting coach Gooch has no doubt the 29-year-old is the right man for the job.
“i believe he is,” said Gooch. “He’s well respected. He will put his body on the line for his country. i don’t see any reason why he will not be a successful leader again in the future.
“Yes, he needs to make improvements. Yes, he needs to look at the way he goes about things. But that’s the same with any player.”
“What I’m hearing is there was an altercation between himself [Pietersen] and Alastair Cook. Cook was one of his friends and wanted him back in when his reintegration happened.
“When you put yourself out there as captain and an altercation happens – I heard there was nearly a dust-up, a fight in the Sydney Pavilion – you can’t do that to a captain.”
The bombshell that Pietersen has played his last match for England has, meanwhile, reverberated around the world.
The mercurial batsman’s former Ashes adversary Shane Warne wrote on Twitter: “I also just heard the sad news re KP that he has played his last game for England, to me it’s a disgrace & a joke! The ECB is in a shambles.”
Pietersen himself describes himself as “so sad” that his international career is over.
The England and Wales Cricket Board decided unanimously that its relationship with the 33-year-old had run its course – following a meeting between new managing director Paul Downton, Cook, limited-overs coach Ashley Giles and national selector James Whitaker.
Pietersen has vowed to stay in the game, and with no international responsibilities he appears to become a more attractive signing for Indian Premier League sides.
He posted a picture of his final Test on Instagram, and added the words: “So sad that this will now be the last time I leave a field in an England shirt. Incredibly overwhelmed by the support overnight! so much.
“I love England and I honestly hope they have every success in the future.”
Sir Ian Botham has joined an apparent chorus of disapproval for the ECB’s management of the situation, insisting the governing body should publish details of Pietersen’s perceived indiscretions.
Former England Botham told “He is one of the best cricketers this country has ever had – and if his career has been terminated, why not tell us why?
“Don’t give us the one-liner ‘we’re moving on, we’re doing this, we’re doing that’. He’s 33, not 43.
“I do believe the ECB need to come out and lay their cards on the table, explain their decision I think the cricketing public deserve that.”
Thank
you
captain Italy 23 France 18 (3 February, 2013) TO LOSE in Rome once, as Oscar Wilde almost said, may be regarded as unfortunate. To lose in Rome twice in successive visits looks like carelessness.
Italy never used to rank high among the teams that fans of France would pinpoint as the main threat to their Grand Slam ambitions. But, in two of the past three Six Nations, they have been beaten in the lair of the Azzurri, and the second time the embarrassment was perhaps even more acute than the first.
It was the opening weekend of the championship, and when Benjamin Fall’s try and three TOP-CLASS mare Midday has given birth to a foal by former superstar stablemate Frankel. The foal was born on Saturday at the Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket. Midday and Frankel were trained by the late Sir Henry Cecil, and in total won 16 races at the top level between them. The new filly weighed in at 132lb and was born at 1.15pm. Stud manager Simon Mockridge’s report on the filly read: “Attractive, quality filly. Has size and scope. Deep girthed, broad hips, strong quartered. Good bone. Strong hind leg. Very good foal.” Freddie Michalak kicks built France a lead of 18-13 after ten minutes of the second-half, it looked as if normal service would be resumed.
Jacques Brunel’s hosts had other ideas, and Luciano Orquera fed Martin Castrogiovanni for a try that he converted himself, before replacement Kris Burton struck a drop goal to extend Italy’s lead.
Wales also lost their opener. at home to Ireland, but they never looked back and stormed to the title with four straight wins. France continued to languish and, with three points, picked up the wooden spoon. WITH David Beckham announcing plans to set up his own MLS franchise in Miami, William Hill are offering 6-1 that one of his three sons plays for the first team in a competitive fixture before the end of 2025, and it is 1-12 that none of them do.
“By all accounts, the young Beckham boys have shown an aptitude for football and if they are even half as good as their father was, there is a possibility that they could play for his team somewhere down the line,” said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly.