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LONDON (AP) — The England and Wales Cricket Board has defended its abrupt termination of star batsman Kevin Pietersen’s international career following an embarrassing tour of Australia.
In a statement Sunday, the ECB said the 33-year-old Pietersen had played “some of the finest innings ever produced by an England batsman.” But it added that captain Alastair Cook needed support “in creating a culture in which we can be confident he will have the full support of all players, with everyone pulling in the same direction and able to trust each other.”
The board said “it is for those reasons that we have decided to move on without Kevin Pietersen.”
England was beaten 5-0 in the Ashes and won just one limited-overs game.
