Here's the content Alan.....

Kevin Pietersen's international career is hanging by a thread after England reacted furiously to news that he sent texts to South Africa players during the second Test.
The ECB launched an immediate inquiry after Sportsmail revealed that Pietersen, an increasingly isolated figure within the England team, had made 'less than flattering' comments about Andrew Strauss and other team-mates in text messages to Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers.
The development, described by an ECB source as ?the most serious yet? involving Pietersen, will bring his place in the do-or-die final Test at Lord?s next week into question even though the gifted maverick played one of the best innings of his life in the drawn second Test at Headingley.
The selectors met on Friday night to choose their squad for a Test that England must win to retain their world No 1 status and they have to decide now whether Pietersen?s position within the team has become untenable, however much his batting would be missed at Lord?s. It is a huge dilemma.
England contacted the South African management over the scandal and were told by officials that the texts were definitely sent, though the tourists attempted to distance themselves from the issue by maintaining the content of them was ?just banter?.
Sportsmail understands they were stronger than that.
South Africa?s reluctance to get involved will make it difficult for the ECB to prove misconduct on Pietersen?s part but feelings are running so high at Lord?s that the selectors could decide the time is right to sever their ties with a man who has endured an increasingly rocky ride with his adopted country.

Big call: England may leave out Pietersen at Lord's despite his brilliant batting
Pietersen said after receiving his man-of-the-match award at Leeds that the final Test could be his last, citing problems within the dressing room as the latest issue that has disillusioned him after previously complaining about the crowded international schedules.
He retired from one-day cricket earlier this season and has barely been on speaking terms with many of his England team-mates for some time. At Headingley he was a man apart, spending time with the South Africans when both teams were on the field.
Stuart Broad, England?s Twenty20 captain, became the first player to break his silence on the affair this week when he said: ?If there is a problem here then it needs to be sorted out quickly?, and team director Andy Flower will be desperate to maintain the team spirit that has been integral to their rise.

Farewell? England's star batsman may have played his final Test match
England may decide to pick Pietersen now and ask him to explain himself, possibly even in public, before deciding after Lord?s whether to carry on with their plan to offer him a Test-only contract for the next year, which would mean including him in their plans for the next Ashes.
Yet that would mean Pietersen, 32, committing to England?s home Test series against New Zealand next May which clashes in part with the Indian Premier League he is desperate to embrace fully. He sees himself as fighting a battle for future England players to be able to cash in on a full IPL season.
Meanwhile, Rory Hamilton-Brown has quit as Surrey captain. Last week he returned to the game following a break after the death of team-mate and friend Tom Maynard in June.

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Posted By: DrDublin on August 11th 2012 at 13:01:03

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