Pietersen apologised for all his actions this summer
After England batsman Kevin Pietersen dominated the headlines with his text messaging scandal and rows with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and his team-mates, it seems that the press can finally report on something more positive about the South African-born player.
Pietersen signed a four-month central contract after apologising to the ECB, his team-mates and the rest of the cricketing world about his actions this summer.
Pietersen’s contract signing means that he could have a chance of being included in the England squad that travel to India later this month for a Test series.
However, Pietersen will only be allowed back into the side once relations between him, the team management and his team-mates are back to normal.
In the end, national team coach Andy Flower will have the final say on whether Pietersen goes to India or not.
Despite his hatred towards ODIs in the past, Pietersen has announced that he is also committed to helping England win their first ever World Cup.
“It’s been a horrible situation for all involved but it’s time to move forward, all being well I’ll be back in an England shirt as soon as possible. I am committed to completing the reintegration process we have agreed over the coming weeks and resuming my England career in all formats, hopefully until the World Cup in 2015, as long as my body allows. I want my son growing up seeing me playing for England and I hope one day he will put an England shirt on himself,” Pietersen said.
Pietersen also stated that he never shared any “tactical” information with the South African players, despite the media reporting that he had sent messages to the Proteas about how to get former Test captain Andrew Strauss out during the Test series between the two nations this summer.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to my team-mates, all England supporters and the ECB for the situation that has arisen over the last couple of months. Thankfully we have drawn a line under it and can move forward. Although it has been covered in the statement, I’d like to make it clear that at no time did I share tactical information with any of the South Africans,” Pietersen added.
ECB chairman Giles Clarke said: “Kevin has signed a central contract today. Andy Flower will determine the progress of the reintegration process. It could be soon, it could be much later.”
Clarke added that Pietersen would be awarded with a full year contract once the reintegration process had been completed.
Clarke also noted that even though Flower had gone through a tough summer, he still expected him to remain as coach of the national team at least until the 2015 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup.
Pietersen has apologised to Strauss in private about this summer’s incidents, but the flamboyant batsman unfortunately missed out on playing in the ICC World Twenty20 and instead worked as a TV pundit for ESPN Star Sports throughout the tournament.
The ECB also confirmed that the so-called ‘derogatory’ messages Pietersen had sent via BlackBerry Messenger did not actually contain any derogatory or tactical information on Strauss.
The ECB also added that the messages had been deleted.
A statement released by the ECB said: “ECB and Kevin Pietersen confirm that agreement has been reached concerning a process for his reintegration into the England team during the remainder of 2012. Upon completion of the programme, the England selectors will consider Kevin for future matches. Kevin Pietersen has apologised to Andrew Strauss and wishes to express to all those who support England his regrets at the impact the recent controversies have had on the England Team. He now wishes to put the events of the summer behind him and to focus on regaining his place in the England Team.”
“With regards the issue of the BBM messages, due to the fact that Kevin had not retained the BBM messages, this matter has been successfully concluded through a binding assurance provided to ECB by Kevin. Kevin conceded that the messages exchanged were provocative. ECB is satisfied, following receipt of this binding assurance, that to the best of his recollection, Kevin did not convey any messages which were derogatory about the England Captain, the England Team Director, the ECB or employees of the ECB. Furthermore, there was no tactical information whatsoever provided to members of the South African touring party,” the statement added.
England have a tough schedule ahead of them, starting with a four-Test series against India, which will be followed by two Twenty20 Internationals.
England will then return to India in January for an ODI series before heading off to New Zealand in February.