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Pietersen and Moores both axed in ECB farce
David Lloyd07.01.09
ENGLISH cricket was thrown into turmoil today with both captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores axed.
In an farcical few hours of claim and counter-claim, it was suggested that both men had quit as a result of their highly damaging fall-out.
Senior officials at Lord's insisted no resignations had been received but did nothing to clarify the situation or dampen rumours a new management team would soon be in place.
Pietersen — appointed captain just five months and three Tests ago — is thought to have told the England Cricket Board he could not lead this month's tour of West Indies under the current set-up, making his position untenable. He was then given the option of either resigning or being relieved of the captaincy.
Moores, who had looked likely to be the only casualty, was also axed as the ECB opted for a clean sweep in the dressing room. Now, after apparently discovering that Pietersen did not have the total support of the dressing room over his row with the coach, the ECB are left with two vacancies to fill.
Pietersen, in South Africa on holiday, is due back in England tomorrow and is expected to make a statement and all attention will turn to his immediate plans with the Caribbean tour imminent.
While England can find a new captain — Andrew Strauss is the obvious answer, at least for the Test series against West Indies — they will be desperate to reintegrate their best batsman into a team which, just six months from now, must go into Ashes battle against Australia.
News of a rift between Pietersen and Moores became public on New Year's Eve with the skipper unhappy that former captain Michael Vaughan was not included in the squad for the West Indies. As revealed in Standard Sport yesterday, Pietersen's public dispute with Moores had so angered some heads of the game that support for the captain had been eroding.
Key figures at Lord's could not accept what amounted to Pietersen wanting to have an unprecedented say over who should be coach.
Pietersen's reign began with victory over South Africa in the final Test at The Oval and then followed up with a 4-0 drubbin g of the tourists in the limited-overs campaign.
But things turned sour during a shambolic week in Antigua which saw England trounced in the Stanford Super Series $20million showdown.
The ECB opted to promote Moores less than 24 hours after Duncan Fletcher's eight-year reign came to its conclusion at the 2007 World Cup.
But his record in charge includes four Test series defeats out of four against top-level opposition and the only victories have been against New Zealand and the West Indies. Moores's assistant, Andy Flower, is expected to be in charge of the team for the tour of the Caribbean.
Reader views (9)
Expect piertersen (tm) to become an indian citizen and disappear into the ipl.
- R, u
the chicken's are coming home to roost - appoint a south african as captain at your peril - bring on the ashes we have a chance again as england self destruct
- Spyder, london uk
Rastus, if the players did not back him, then KP was not the right person to be captain.
Like Botham, he is a great player who needs to be managed. Unfortunately, his inclusion in the team would now be disruptive and so he should not go to the West Indies.
- Simon, london
Mike Brearly was the best post-war England captain because he was intelligent, a good man manager, and a superb tactician. KP is a brilliant batsman with a massive ego. The problem with such people is that they cannot relate to players with lesser skills. Thus they don't get 100 percent out of less gifted players. England need to select a good man-manager who can get 110 percent out of good players. Brian Clough and Bill Shankly were excellent at oing this.
- T Oates, Farnham England
KP did the right thing. Giles Clarke must resign forthwith.
- St, London
I know KP is keen to play in IPL but everything in life even in cricket is not bang-bang-finito. The moment he shows his displeasure with the manager, even if his concerns are legitimate, he can not expect people to immediately react and sack the manager. There is a due process. Real life is more like the Tendulkar innings that won the Chennai test. You constantly adapt to the context, judiciously grab opportunities and painstakingly but inexorably move towards victory. Pity KP saw it first hand and has learnt no lessons. I am glad his immaturity showed up early enough for us to get a new captain going for the Ashes. Also hope KP remains the batsman that he now is - our best one.
- Nat, New Malden, UK
Good riddance - an excellent player, but an awful captain. Player power has already got out of hand in football and shouldn't be allowed to get out of control in cricket.
- Ian, Surbiton
The players who didn't back the captain should also be removed from the team. There is no point having a team that doesn't follow the captain. It just shows Moores should not have been given the job in the first place. Anyone with any sense could see the job was beyond him.
- Rastus, Hull
They both had to go. The ECB were left with no choice. Strauss seems like the best option and he may suit the ECB more, as he is level headed and not so gung-ho as KP. Moores appears to be too mundane for the role and maybe Ashley Giles is a good pick to take us forward.
- Tj 14, Barnet, UK
