Pietersen autobiography is sweetly timed: who will suffer?
Controversial batsman is now beyond the reach of the ECB as he prepares to publish memoir
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen releases his autobiography next week and it is fair to assume it "will contain a fair amount of score-settling", says Andy Wilson in The Guardian.
The timing of the publication is as sweet as one of the batsman's trademark drives. His confidentially agreement with his former employers, the England and Wales Cricket Board, expired on Wednesday and Surrey's decision to cancel the player's registration at the end of the season means that he is now beyond the reach of the cricket authorities, who may feel the need to don the body armour before reading the tome.
"The move by Surrey was... pre-empted by fears that the ECB could use his registration with the club as a means to punish him for any content in his book, which will be published next Thursday," explains the Daily Telegraph.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"As a registered county player, Pietersen would have to seek the ECB's permission to play in the Big Bash in Australia this winter and the Indian Premier League. There were concerns that the board could refuse to give consent, in response to revelations in his autobiography."
The paper says that Surrey could re-sign him once the storm has blown over and he has spent the winter on the Twenty20 circuit.
So far Pietersen has declined to say who will be in the firing line when his book comes out, but with the field scattered to all corners the explosive batsman could have any number of targets in his sights.
Clues could be contained in his newspaper columns and the Twitter rants of former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan, who is Pietersen's "most voluble supporter", says Andy Wilson.
Ex-England captain Andrew Strauss and coaches Andy Flower and Peter Moores are bound to be in the line of fire, as is the current national skipper Alistair Cook, who oversaw his expulsion from the dressing room. "Details of the disintegration of their relationship in Australia, and then of Cook's role in the decision to sack Pietersen, that will be especially intriguing," says Wilson.
Matt Prior, James Anderson and Grame Swann are other former team-mates who will be waiting for the book with bated breath, along with establishment figures like Paul Downton and Giles Clark.
"There is little doubting Pietersen’s loathing for the majority of the media," adds Wilson, who predicts that "prominent commentators" like Geoffrey Boycott and Jonathan Agnew could also feel his wrath.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - November 19, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - junk food, health drinks, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Band Aid 40: time to change the tune?
In the Spotlight Band Aid's massively popular 1984 hit raised around £8m for famine relief in Ethiopia and the charity has generated over £140m in total
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
James Anderson joins Test cricket’s 600 wickets club - now he’s aiming for 700
Speed Read Veteran England fast bowler is not ready to slow down just yet
By Mike Starling Published
-
West Indies vs. England: James Anderson bugs Windies with late wickets
Speed Read Pace bowler takes 4-33 but team-mate Stuart Broad suffers with bed bug bites
By The Week Staff Published
-
Alastair Cook to be knighted in the new year honours
Speed Read Former England captain will be rewarded for his contribution to cricket
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sri Lanka vs. England: Stuart Broad and Jonny Bairstow selected for third Test
Speed Read James Anderson is rested while Sam Curran is ruled out with a side issue
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
England director of cricket Andrew Strauss steps down
Speed Read Former captain, whose wife is battling cancer, says he must support his family
By The Week Staff Published
-
England cricket: James Anderson focuses on the ‘here and now’ not retirement
Speed Read Stuart Broad is facing the axe for the winter tour of Sri Lanka
By The Week Staff Published
-
England summer report: India well beaten, Anderson breaks record and Cook retires
In Depth Joe Root is now looking ahead to the tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies
By The Week Staff Published
-
England vs. India: cricket world praises Alastair Cook after farewell Test century
Speed Read Former England skipper makes history and hits 147 at The Oval
By The Week Staff Published