Pietersen could face four-Test ban
30.11.06
Kevin Pietersen could be hit with a ban of up to four Test matches or eight one-day internationals if the International Cricket Council investigate a furious complaint from South Africa over his constant criticism of their policies.
The South Africans have been incensed over his latest magazine interview in which Pietersen blasts their strategy of minimum racial quotas and suggests that Hansie Cronje may have been the fall guy for others in their system who were corrupt.
They are now demanding that the ICC bring a disrepute charge against the England player, who was tackling Australia in the second Ashes Test.
That covers 'inappopriate public comment' and is the same tier of offence levelled against Pakistan skipper Inzamam Ul-Haq for refusing to take the field at the Oval in August. The potential penalty is a ban from between two and four Tests, or from four to eight one-day internationals.
The patience of the South Africans, who have also protested to the England and Wales Cricket Board, appears to have snapped after an interview he gave to GQ magazine.
They have written to the ICC demanding that they investigate derogatory comments about the appointment of Ashwell Prince, who became the country's first non-white captain when Graeme Smith was injured.
Cricket South Africa also wants the anti-corruption unit to look into his suggestions that Cronje was the scapegoat for others who may have been involved in match-fixing and got away with it.
Pietersen has said for several years that he was driven out of the country's cricket system because of racial policies which currently insist on at least four non-white players being in every first class team.
He has also repeatedly attacked Smith, and in this latest interview describes him as 'an insignificant nobody."
In his recent book, Crossing the Boundary, Pietersen calls Smith 'an absolute muppet, childish and strange.' He also says that the South African captain has 'personality limitations' and that his behaviour 'leaves a lot to be desired' while lambasting again the quota systems in his native country's cricket.
Referring to the appointment of Prince he told the magazine: "I just thought that it was further evidence that things were going downhill. It's got nothing to do with the colour of his skin. It's just that better players are being left out for political reasons and until that changes South African cricket will continue to go downhill.
"I've got some mates who are now on the fringes of domestic cricket in South Africa who are better than three or four players in the South African side."
He makes references to his friend and former Natal team-mate Grant Rowley, who he cites as a more talented player than himself, but who now works for a brewery, allegedly because of the system.
Cricket SA wants the anti-corruption unit to look into his comments about Cronje, and if they are found to be unproven seeks to have him punished for making false claims.
"At the end of the day cheating is wrong...but I can see how it happens," says Pietersen. "Hansie copped a lot more than he should have done. I think he took the brunt for the players. There are a lot of people who I think have done stuff that people don't know about and got away with it."
Whether a new investigation if feasible is open to question but South Africa has some formidable clout within the world game.
ICC President Percy Sonn is a Cape coloured who is a strong advocate of the racial policies within his country, and he was also at the heart of the controversial decision to drop umpire Darrell Hair from the elite international panel after complaints from Pakistan.
There are concerns within Pietersen's former country that his comments are fuelling right wing elements who are against the policy.
Selection matters continue, however, to be an emotive topic there and only last week Smith was said to be furious at a decision to leave out fast bowler Andre Nel from a one-day international against India.
Pietersen left South Africa for his mother's country of birth after being overlooked by Natal and waited four years to qualify and play for England.
England's Ashes preparations suffered unwanted disruption yesterday when assistant coach Matthew Maynard flew home to Wales after a family accident.
Maynard's wife Sue has broken her arm and hip in a fall at their house in Cardiff and he left at lunchtime to be with her as England prepared for today's second Test against Australia.
The former Glamorgan and England batsman is Duncan Fletcher's main sounding board on the tour, and brought him into the set-up after their successful association with the Welsh county.
It is not yet known when Maynard will return, but it is hoped to be before the third Test, which begins in Perth on December 14.
England have already lost Marcus Trescothick from the tour due to depression and brought out Ed Joyce, but there are no plans to bolster the backroom staff.
