Published: Jan 08, 2014, 03:23 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 27, 2014, 11:24 PM (IST)
Jan 8, 2014
The rift within the England camp has further widened as Andy Flower has stated that he will resign if Kevin Pietersen continues to play for England. Flower has said to new Managing Director of England and Wales Cricket Board Paul Downton that Pietersen has to go for England to resume the rebuilding programme after the 5-0 Ashes debacle in Australia.
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According to a report in Daily Mail, Flower believes that Pietersen has been a divisive influence in the team and he had thought of disciplining him during the recently concluded series. Pietersen has been England’s batting mainstay having completed 8,000 Test runs during the Ashes. Nut Flower has taken a stand to prepare a team without the maverick batsman.
Flower might get the backing of ECB Chairman Giles Clarke and Chief Executive David Collier both of whom have had problems dealing with the batsman. Pietersen has been consistently part of various controversies. He had a tussle with the then coach peter Moores. The biggest controversy erupted when he sent text messages to the South African players provoking them against Andrew Strauss in 2012.
Earlier during the Ashes, it was former England opener Geoffrey Boycott who had stated that Flower should put his foot down while dealing with Pietersen. Boycott has been a staunch critic of Pietersen.
If the ECB continue to back Flower, it could be curtains to the career of one of England’s most prolific batsman.
