captain, coach Moores fired
LONDON, (Reuters) – England captain Kevin Pietersen resigned and coach Peter Moores was sacked yesterday as English cricket staggered into the new year.

Pietersen issued a statement announcing his decision to stand down as captain, but to continue as a batsman, before flying home from a holiday in South Africa.

Hugh Morris, managing director of England cricket, later announced that Moores had been sacked in the wake of an “irretrievable breakdown” in the relationship between captain and coach.

Andrew Strauss was named as new captain with his first task seemingly to restore unity, with just two weeks before the team depart for a tour of West Indies and with an eagerly-awaited home Ashes series against Australia looming on the horizon.

After a day of media frenzy, Pietersen issued a statement signalling the end of his six-month reign as skipper.

“In light of recent communications with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and the unfortunate media stories and speculation that have subsequently appeared, I now consider that it would be extremely difficult for me to continue in my current position with the England cricket team,” Pietersen said.

“Accordingly, I have as of this afternoon decided to stand down as England captain with immediate effect.”

Pietersen said his decision would not affect his determination to continue playing for England and he fully intended travelling to the West Indies.

Morris said Pietersen’s decision to stand down had been accepted with regret.

“I have an extremely high respect and regard for Kevin Pietersen but this has become an impossible situation given the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship between captain and coach,” Morris said.

COACHING CHANGE
Confirming that Moores had been relieved of his duties, Morris said: “I have the greatest respect for the dignity which Peter Moores has shown in recent days when he has found himself under extreme pressure.”

Pietersen had only been captain for six months, having taken over from Michael Vaughan, while Moores was appointed in 2007 after the resignation of Duncan Fletcher.

Pietersen, who began his captaincy with a Test victory over South Africa and a clean sweep of the one-dayers, was praised for his conduct following the interruption of the recent tour to India after the Mumbai attacks.

His limitations as a captain were exposed in the first Test in December, however, when India made 387 in their second innings to win the match.

He fell out with Moores over the running of the team and appeared to issue a thinly-disguised ultimatum on Sunday when he told British media that the situation “had to be sorted out”.

British media have suggested that the rift intensified after Vaughan was not selected for next month’s Test series against the West Indies.

Pietersen, who has an English mother, moved to England in 2000 and switched his international allegiance after saying he was frustrated with the positive discrimination policy in South African cricket.

He has since established himself as one of the most destructive and exciting batsmen in the game, playing a key role in the Ashes success over Australia in 2005.

Strauss, who was also born in South Africa, offers a steady pair of hands to the ECB, having captained the side in a winning series at home to Pakistan in 2006 in the absence of Vaughan.

The left-hander won the first of his 55 Test caps in 2004, scoring a century against New Zealand at Lord’s.

In the recent Test against India in Chennai he scored centuries in each innings.