Kevin Pietersen-ECB controversy: Graeme Swann terms autobiography as ‘work of fiction’

Oct 6, 2014

Former England cricketer Graeme Swann on Monday described Kevin Pietersen‘s autobiography as ‘work of fiction’, adding that the allegations made by the maverick cricketer are ‘codswallop’.

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The BBC’s Test Match Special (TMS) account on Twtitter informed,

Graeme Swann, has said the allegations of “bullying” are ‘codswallop’, and described Pietersen’s book as a ‘work of fiction’. #BBCSPORT

— BBC TMS (@bbctms) October 6, 2014

Earlier in the day, Pietersen hit out at the “horrendous” bullying of some of his former England team-mates and accused former coach Andy Flower of “ruling by fear”. Despite being England’s all-time leading run-scorer across all formats, the South Africa-born batsman was sensationally axed after the team’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia in 2013-14.

 The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) then gave several convoluted explanations as to why their former captain had been discarded, citing the need to “support” current skipper Alastair Cook as a central reason. In an interview with Monday’s edition of the Daily Telegraph, to promoted an autobiography due to be published on Thursday, Pietersen said he still did not understand why he was effectively sacked.

He added that Alastair Cook had been put in an “incredibly difficult position” by the ECB, following his banishment from the team. Despite everything Pietersen — who has scored over 8,000 runs in 104 Tests, including 23 hundreds at an average of nearly 48, insisted he had not given up hope of representing England again even though he played no County Championship cricket for Surrey last season.

More from Kevin Pietersen’s autobiography here