JOIN USECB acts tough, drops Pietersen for third Test
Controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen has been dropped from the England cricket squad for the third and final Test against South Africa amid speculation of dressing room tensions with his team-mates.
Pietersen was left out because he failed to confirm he did not send derogatory text messages about team-mates to the opposition, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Sunday.
The future of Pietersen, who hit a stunning century in the drawn second Test at Headingley, had been under a cloud since he raised the possibility of quitting England with comments at the conclusion of the match on Monday. He had also been at odds with ECB since quitting limited-overs internationals in May and over suggestions of his desire to play the whole Indian Premier League season with the Delhi Daredevils instead of two home Test matches against New Zealand next May.
Pietersen's exclusion came despite a video he released on Youtube on Saturday stating his commitment to playing for England in all three forms of the game.
He also said that dressing room morale had been improved following a long chat with a team-mate.
The squad: Andrew Strauss (capt) James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Graham Onions, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann, James Taylor, Jonathan Trott.