Cricket: Amiss backs Pietersen's claim he is 'innocent'

Published on 11/01/2009 22:57

KEVIN Pietersen's claim that he did "absolutely nothing wrong" over the Peter Moores affair has been backed by key figures in English cricket.

Pietersen has vented his frustration at the manner in which his reign as captain came to a crashing end, following the revelation that he and coach Moores were no longer willing to work together.

In particular, the South Africa-born batsman railed against his widespread vilification which followed claims he had given the England and Wales Cricket Board a "back me or sack me" ultimatum.

"People talk about my ego as if it's out of control. But if I had any kind of ego, I would have held on to the captaincy and taken all the privileges that go with it and all the perks," said Pietersen, who announced his resignation on Wednesday shortly before Moores was sacked.

"What hurts me was the character assassination that has been totally unfounded. And that is the reason why I want to get my story across so people can understand that I have done absolutely nothing wrong."

One of the most damning claims made against Pietersen was that the leak of his argument with Moores was, at least partially, his responsibility.

ECB vice-chairman and management board member Dennis Amiss shot down that suggestion yesterday, however, when he described the untenable situation into which the governing body had been backed.

"Once the information was in the public domain that Kevin Pietersen didn't want Peter Moores as his coach, it was always going to be impossible to resolve amicably – the ECB board was put in an impossible position," Amiss told the BBC.

"We don't believe Kevin Pietersen leaked the information, we understand his frustration at it being leaked by other parties."

Pietersen is believed to have been asked to write a strategy for the way forward for England in which he demanded Moores' removal, and it is now thought that the leak stemmed from that e-mailed document.

But despite the 28-year-old appearing increasingly innocent over the leak, Amiss insisted a desire for a new start among ECB board members meant he had to go.

"We want to try to move forward, go into a new era, with a new captain and a new coach, and play some positive cricket because everybody wants England to be successful." Amiss added: "Kevin is very much part of the future."

Meanwhile, debutant David Warner clubbed the second-fastest Twenty20 international half-century ever as Australia defeated South Africa by 52 runs at the MCG.

Warner, who is yet to make his first-class debut, had the home fans in a frenzy as he smashed 89 off only 43 balls. He spearheaded Australia's charge to 182 for nine before the Proteas were dismissed for 130, despite a knock of 78 by Jean-Paul Duminy.