Kushalini blog

England batsman Pietersen fined over Twitter rant

LONDON (AFP) – Kevin Pietersen was fined an "undisclosed amount" for his foul-mouthed Twitter tirade after being dropped from the England squad, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Monday.

Pietersen, never before axed when fit from England duty in a four-year international career, pre-empted last Tuesday's announcement by several hours that he'd been left out for the upcoming Twenty20 and limited overs matches against Pakistan with a post on social networking site Twitter.

The South Africa-born batsman would have been in trouble for that act alone.

But the 30-year-old Pietersen, man of the tournament during England's victorious World Twenty20 campaign in the Caribbean earlier this year, told his followers: "Done for rest of summer!! Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too.

"It's a f*** up."

England coach Andy Flower had to leave the national side in Cardiff, where the World Twenty20 title holders won the first of two Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan on Sunday, to travel to a disciplinary hearing at Lord's on Monday ahead of the second and final T20 in the Welsh capital on Tuesday.

An ECB statement said: "ECB has announced that Kevin Pietersen today (Monday) attended a disciplinary hearing at Lord's convened by Hugh Morris, Managing Director - England Cricket, and Andy Flower, England Team Director.

"Pietersen proffered an unreserved apology to ECB and the England team management for his actions."

"The hearing considered his comments to be prejudicial to the interests of Team England," the statement added.

"He has been fined an undisclosed sum in accordance with the terms and conditions of his England central contract."

Pietersen, struggling for runs at international level, was released back to on-loan county Surrey in a bid to regain form ahead of England's defence of the Ashes in Australia later this year.

It looked a good move as he hit a century for Surrey on Saturday in a 40-over match against Sussex.