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Pietersen lets rip on Twitter after T20 snub
Batsman reveals he’s been dropped – and then deletes the message
England batsman Kevin Pietersen has joined the ever growing list of sportsmen to let their feelings get the better of them on Twitter and end up regretting it soon afterwards.
The 30-year-old cricketer was left out of England's squad for the Twenty20 and one-day internationals against Pakistan in September and broke the news on the social networking before it was officially announced.
Upon hearing the bad news Pietersen tweeted: "Done for rest of summer!! Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too. Its a fuck up!!." The message also revealed that he has agreed to play for Surrey next season after parting company with Hampshire.
The message mysteriously disappeared soon after it went up on the site - presumably when Pietersen realised he was breaking the news of his ommission rather than reacting to it.
Despite his anger at the England selectors’ decision, it comes as no surprise. He has been in wretched form with the bat this summer. His highest score in Tests was a scratchy 80 against Pakistan at Edgbaston, and with the Ashes to come it was decided that he needed a rest.
Judging from the content of his message it appears Pietersen would have preferred to play. However, his language was not as bad as that used by England Under-19 captain Azeem Rafiq, who was suspended for a month and fined £500 for letting rip on Twitter after being punished for staying out late while on international duty. In his tweet Rafiq called John Abrahams, the ECB's elite player development manager, a "useless wanker".
Last summer Australian batsman Phil Hughes revealed that he had been dropped from the Australian team during the Ashes on Twitter, prompting former Test player Dean Jones to suggest he needed a "foot up the backside" for his actions.
Footballers are also well-known for their lapses of judgment on Twitter. Darren Bent, for example, lobbied for a transfer to Sunderland on the site and almost stopped the deal going through. Most football clubs now ban players from using Twitter. ·
