Graves insists ‘no promises’ made to alienated Pietersen

Colin Graves has insisted he “didn’t make any promises” to Kevin Pietersen about any possible return to Test cricket.
Former Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves.Former Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves.
Former Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves.

The England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, whose tenure officially starts on Friday, has released a statement in which he strongly defends his integrity via the governing body’s website – his first public response to Pietersen’s claims that he has received “incredibly deceitful” treatment.

Pietersen learned on Monday from new ECB director Andrew Strauss, after making a triple-century for Surrey, that his attempt to force his way back into England contention via runs in the LV= County Championship had come to nothing.

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The maverick batsman responded by claiming he had been “misled” in telephone conversations with Graves, which followed two March interviews suggesting Pietersen could possibly resume his international career after all following his sacking 15 months ago.

After the ECB’s annual general meeting at Lord’s on Friday, Graves said: “In the past few days my integrity has been called into question, something I can’t accept.

“Throughout my business career and my years at Yorkshire, integrity has been my watchword. It governs everything I do and is an important part of what I bring to the ECB.

“So it saddens me that what was a private conversation with Kevin in March has been used to do just that.

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“Kevin felt he had a lot to offer and was interested in a dialogue with the ECB, sorting things out and working together.

“He would love to play for England again but he wanted to contribute, whether as a player or not.

“I didn’t make any promises.

“There were no guarantees that if he chose to exit his IPL (Indian Premier League) contract, play county cricket and score runs he would be selected for England – and I said he should make any decision on his future on that basis.”

Graves also wrote in his ECB blog: “Clearly, the question of whether Kevin Pietersen will play for England again has been a debate for media and cricket fans alike.

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“I understand why people feel it’s important. So I’ll tell you what I said to the first-class county chairmen, at yesterday’s AGM, and our people across the ECB this morning, on my first full day as chairman.

“Back then, when we talked on the phone, Kevin asked if I thought his England career had ended in the right manner following the last Ashes series in Australia. I agreed that nobody particularly emerged with much credit from the whole episode, particularly given his achievements for England.

“I can see something has been misunderstood around the conversation and in the following debate.”

Subsequently, Graves agreed with his management team – including Strauss – that there still could be no way back for Pietersen this summer because of a lack of trust built up between him and his former employers.

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Graves continued: “What I did stress was that when I took over as chairman I would back those people whose job it was to take the decisions on team selection. I stand by that. Ahead of a busy summer of cricket, a clear decision needed to be taken.”