Kevin Pietersen row turns ugly as Prior is dragged in

Matt Prior has been dragged into the increasingly ugly row over the end of Kevin Pietersen’s England career as Pietersen prepares to consider a range of options that would offer the opportunity to take lucrative revenge.

Prior, who remains England’s Test vice-captain although there are major doubts over his future after he was dropped in Australia once the Ashes were lost, became the first witness to England’s painful unravelling this winter to break his silence – inevitably on Twitter – after being smoked out by Pietersen’s most voluble cheerleader, Piers Morgan.

None of the key figures in this week's meetings – the England captain, Alastair Cook, the acting coach, Ashley Giles, or Paul Downton, the managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board, who has yet to answer any questions at all since being appointed to succeed Hugh Morris – has been made available to elaborate on the opaque statement issued on Tuesday.

Two interviews
Although the new national selector James Whitaker will conduct two interviews with broadcasters at Headingley today when announcing the squad for next month's World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

But Prior went public with an angry denial that he had effectively sided with Pietersen against the leadership of Cook and the team director, Andy Flower, before the fourth Test in Melbourne, after being accused by Morgan of stabbing Pietersen in the back.

Pinch of salt
"I refuse to be attacked by a bloke that knows very little of what goes on in the England set-up apart from rumour, gossip and hearsay (most of which I'd take with a pinch of salt)," Prior tweeted. I'm not the kind of person to divulge what is said in team meetings but all I will say is that Flower, Cook and the rest of my team-mates know exactly what I said and the way in which it was meant."

As a result, the less than cordial tone of Pietersen’s relationship with Prior is now much more widely known. However, the decision to dump him is thought to have produced mixed feelings among several players.

Pietersen has yet to add to the conciliatory comments he allowed to be included in the ECB's statement, although suggestions yesterday were that he will still be able to spill the beans in a book that is expected to be published later this year.
Guardian Service