“Paul Downton and the ECB both apologise to Kevin Pietersen for those comments made that were in breach of the settlement agreement”

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) were forced to apologise to former batsman Kevin Pietersen following managing director Paul Downton’s comments on the BBC’s Test Match Special programme.

Downton stated that he had never seen anyone as “disinterested or distracted” as Pietersen was during the recent Ashes series. The  board was subsequently made to apologise as it was “in breach of the settlement agreement” agreed by both parties when Pietersen was sacked.

“On May 22 during an interview on BBC Test Match Special, Paul Downton of the ECB made a series of comments about Kevin Pietersen with which Kevin takes issue including the comments he made regarding his perception of Kevin’s attitude during the Sydney Test on last winter’s Ashes tour,” the ECB apology said. “Some of those comments were made in breach of a settlement agreement between the ECB and Kevin Pietersen which was concluded at the time Kevin’s central contract was terminated earlier this year.

“Paul Downton and the ECB both apologise to Kevin Pietersen for those comments made that were in breach of the settlement agreement and have confirmed that they will abide by its terms moving forward.”