Thaindian News

London, Jan.1 (ANI): England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen has called for crisis talks with the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, over what he sees as irreconcilable differences between him and head coach Peter Moores. Telegraph Sport understands that the meeting with Giles Clarke, which follows a troubled start to England’’s winter, has been called for early January once Pietersen concludes his safari holiday in Africa.
With the Ashes series just six months away, Clarke could be forced to take bold action with both Pietersen and Moores under pressure after a series of poor results.
England were humiliated during the Stanford Series and endured a difficult tour to India where they were thrashed 5-0 in the one-day series before the Mumbai atrocities cut short the series. They then squandered the first Test in Madras when Sachin Tendulkar masterminded the fourth biggest run chase in Test history. England lost the series 1-0.
Moores endured a difficult relationship with Pietersens predecessor Michael Vaughan and it is believed that Pietersen has run out of patience with Moores.
With relations between the pair at a nadir, Clarke could struggle to negotiate a peace between the two men. If that fails then the ECB may be forced to change captain or coach, a potentially damaging move with a wounded Australia team set to tour in the summer.
As coach, Moores has lost four out of seven Test series, including defeats in home rubbers to India and South Africa, since taking over from Duncan Fletcher in April 2007.
The ECB have allowed him to assemble an expensive backroom staff which could make removing Moores a costly and protracted affair, especially if a new man wanted to bring in his own trusted lieutenants.
As ECB chairman, Clarke spent the entire Test series in India travelling with the England team and will have gauged the mood in the camp at close quarters.
During the tour Clarke made a pointed reference that the team had to start producing results. We have targets that people are expected to achieve and we expect people to do better than those targets, he said. We”re a national sport. We have to have a successful Test side.
The England team depart for their tour to the West Indies on Jan 21 leaving little time for any changes to me made. (ANI)