Swann labels Pietersen book as ‘fiction’

Former team-mates Graeme Swann (left) and Kevin Pietersen.

Agencies/London

Former England team-mate Graeme Swann began the backlash against Kevin Pietersen’s new book on Monday by labelling it “the biggest work of fiction since Jules Verne”.

Speaking at an awards ceremony at Lord’s, Swann denied accusations that he was part of a clique of bowlers guilty of what Pietersen called “mocking, ridicule, bullying”.

The South African-born batsman also included wicketkeeper Matt Prior in his criticisms of England test players. “I expected it to be the biggest work of fiction since Jules Verne and that seems to have happened. The one thing I will say is that I immediately realised it was codswallop when I read the character assassination of Matt Prior,” Swann was quoted as saying in the Telegraph.

“Tragically I don’t think Kev realises the one person who fought tooth and nail to keep him in the side is the one person he is now assassinating: Matt Prior.”

Pietersen wrote in the book, KP: The Autobiography, that  Prior was a “schoolyard bully who was also the teacher’s pet”, and accuses him of “back-stabbing”. But Swann, the off-spinner who retired in December, added: “Kevin has been quite clever because the guys still playing he has left alone and he hopes to get back in again one day.

“He has picked on people who he thinks can’t answer back. If that (bullying) was the case a lot of people would have flagged it up before.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board, whose managing director Paul Downton is also heavily criticised in the book, declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Nasser Hussain said there was “no way back” for Pietersen. Former England captain Hussain said he had some sympathy for Pietersen’s views, telling Sky Sports: “It really tells you a lot about team spirit ... always there when you’re winning but always fades away when you’re losing.

“A lot of the stuff I’ve read (from Kevin) this afternoon, I’ve nodded at and agreed with ... about shouting at players in the outfield. Team spirit is about respect ... what happened in the end was that the respect had gone, between Kevin and his team-mates.

 “Once you lose that respect, and then start losing games of cricket, I’m afraid the wheels can only come off,” added Hussain, who played his last Test in 2004 — the year before Pietersen made his Test debut.

Pietersen insisted he had not given up hope of playing for England again but Hussain said he could not see how a return was possible, given Pietersen’s outspoken comments about the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and lack of recent form. “Some of the stuff he writes in this book, I can’t see any way back for him,” Hussain said.

“The best way to answer his critics, and pile the pressure on (England captain Alastair) Cook and the ECB was to go out there and smash hundreds for Surrey ... he never did that, and is letting his book do the talking instead of his batting.”