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English newspapers reported with some amusement at the weekend that England’s stormy petrel from KwaZulu-Natal was reprimanded for dissent in a one-day international against India in the gentlemen’s facility at Ranchi airport.
Pietersen had been given out caught behind for 17 as England lost a second game to the host nation on the trot, and left the crease shaking his head (replays indicated he had, indeed, been done an injustice).
Later, as both teams awaited a charter flight at the airport, a small regional one not used to accommodating international cricket teams, Zimbabwean match referee Andy Pycroft asked Pietersen and England’s ODI coach Ashley Giles to step into the toilet for at least a certain amount of privacy.
Pietersen was then formally reprimanded, although it has been suggested he did well to escape a fine.
Giles was later quoted as saying: “Yes, my first meeting with the match referee was in the gents, so that was nice!
“Andy was right to speak to Kev ... I think common sense prevailed. We have to be careful with reactions to decisions but I think it was more disappointment from Kev.”
England are 2-1 down in the five-match ODI series.
