They are a tight bunch these Poms.
Close mates.
Definitely not a team of merkins.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...t/news-story/24a9fa2787e6efeadd0743662e9a8283
Kevin Pietersen lashes out after latest Ashes incident
CRICKET
- December 10, 2017 8:59am
- by JAMES MCKERN
- Source: news.com.au
KEVIN Pietersen has taken aim at England and former teammate Andrew Strauss following the latest incident to hit the touring nation Down Under.
Ben Duckett was stood down from a tour game on Saturday and suspended after an incident in a Perth bar.
It was the first night after England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director of cricket Andrew Strauss agreed to a relaxing of the midnight curfew placed on the Test squad a fortnight ago.
Pietersen didn’t hold back after hearing of the latest incident to encapsulate England on their tour to forget so far.
https://twitter.com/KP24
As this fresh controversy rocks an already unstable England, Pietersen took aim at the current side ahead of the third Test in Perth.
“It looks like the England batters are making out that this Australian bowling attack in their head is some of the fastest they’ve ever faced, is the scariest bowling they’ve ever faced and it looks like they’re just very nervous when they go out to bat,” Pietersen said on BT Sport.
“You need to get on top of them and you need to show them that you’re not scared and you’re not worried and there’s no-one in that England side at the moment that doesn’t look scared. And that’s my issue, that’s the concern.”
Not finished there, the former star slugger had some harsh words for former skipper Alastair Cook and current skipper Joe Root.
“Pretty well and it looks like Cook is not very interested,” Pietersen said.
“Just the way that he’s got out, the manner of his dismissals and also the way he’s walked off the field once he’s got out. That’s the sign of a bloke who goes, ‘You know what, maybe my time is up’”.
“Joe Root hasn’t set the world on fire at all, absolutely not by any stretch of the imagination,” Pietersen added.
“So it’s not as if we’re going to blame everyone else. You need to lead from the front in Australia.”
Coach Trevor Bayliss confirmed that Duckett was involved in an incident late Thursday where he poured a drink over a senior player, identified in reports as fast bowler James Anderson, following a heated row.
“I think that was the issue,” Bayliss said.
“It was boys being boys, I suppose, but totally unacceptable. It’s trivial, but in the current climate not acceptable.
“Everyone has been warned about how even small things can be blown out of all proportion.
“I’m disappointed. With what we have had to go through already with these problems, it is not acceptable.”
Bayliss said the Northants batsman was suspended by team management while a disciplinary investigation, which will be led by Lions coach Andy Flower, takes place.
“Andy will look after his player and if anything needs to be said or done with the first team, we’ll handle that,” Bayliss said.
“I’m not sure what more I can say to the players. I’m sure there will be some stern words from above.”
Bayliss agreed when asked if he was “fed up” about having to address off-field matters.
“Very much so. I’m here to coach the team and I end up spending most of the time trying to explain behaviour that the boys have been warned about,” he said.
Duckett, 23, has been touring Australia with England Lions and was among a number of players promoted for the current tour match while senior players rested ahead of next week’s all-important third Test against Australia in Perth.
