Kevin Pietersen’s monopoly of the airwaves and printed media regarding his claims of bullying in the England cricket team’s dressingroom ended abruptly on Tuesday with the leaking of an email outlining his poor behaviour on last year’s disastrous Ashes series in Australia.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) insisted the email a cricket website had received was not the official dossier compiled by former coach Andy Flower, who has like many others not escaped the wrath of Pietersen in his book.
The ECB said it was an internal email draft drawn up by their lawyers — marked strictly privileged and confidential.
Nevertheless it will not make pleasant reading for the South African-born batsman but will delight those who like former England spinner Graeme Swann and wicketkeeper Matt Prior have been lambasted by Pietersen.
However, Pietersen brushed off the email’s contents which included captain Alastair Cook’s first name being misspelt in one instance.
“I heard about it in the car earlier. It is embarrassing,” said Pietersen, who in a rollercoaster career was also sacked as England skipper.
“They couldn’t even spell Cooky’s name right. It is a joke. I am done with it.
“It is so embarrassing I don’t want to give it any thought. I am just getting on with my life.”
Pietersen’s claims that an atmosphere of bullying existed in the dressingroom is undermined by one of the observations in the email.
“At the end of the first Test, KP (Pietersen) was awarded a present by the team in recognition of 100th Test (as is customary). During his acceptance speech KP stated that ‘this is the best England dressing room environment that I have ever experienced’,” reads the email.
Pietersen’s claim of younger players being hectored and bullied by the bowlers in particular if they were deemed guilty of dropping catches or sloppy fielding also appears to include him in the list of those abusing them according to the email.
