Buzzin Cricket

KP leaving Hampshire

Kevin Pietersen has confirmed that he will be leaving county side Hampshire at the end of this season, claiming that living in London is an issue in playing for the Southampton based team.

Pietersen joined Hampshire from Nottinghamshire at the end of the 2004 season, but since making his England Test debut in July 2005 has figured very little in county level cricket.

He made his first appearance for Hampshire in two years in last Sunday’s Friends Provident T20 win over Surrey, and in his six seasons with the county he has featured in just two T20 games, seven County Championship matches and 17 one-dayers.

Pietersen’s agent Adam Wheatley says that there have been no approaches from other clubs  as yet, but is hoping that now the announcement has been made things may well change.

It is possible for Pietersen to continue playing International cricket without an association to a county side, an ECB spokesman confirmed this, but added, “Practically, it’s in the best interest of the player and the England management that he is registered with a county. This is so the option exists for that player to go back to his county and play cricket when required, eg in between international series.”

Ironically Pietersen returns to Hampshire’s Rose Bowl home next week for England’s opening One Day International against Australia.

Hampshire chairman of cricket Rod Bransgrove added: “Given England’s critical dependence on KP in all forms of cricket, we have not seen anything like as much of him as we would have liked over the past six years. He remains, however, a fantastic player and we wish him continued success wherever he plays.”