LONDON, Aug 15: Captain Andrew Strauss’ 100th test for England at Lord’s this week will be overshadowed by the controversial absence of the team’s most dynamic batsman Kevin Pietersen for the deciding match against South Africa.
England, who trail 1-0 in the three-match series, must win to retain their status as the world’s number one-ranked team.
They will have to do without South Africa-born Pietersen, 32, who was dropped at the weekend and has since admitted sending ‘provocative’ text messages to members of the opposition.
While Pietersen has now apologised, Strauss feels ‘let down’.
Strauss backed the decision to remove Pietersen, who scored an exhilarating 149 in the drawn second test at Leeds, and believes ‘underlying issues on trust and respect’ must be addressed if he is to return to the side.
‘It’s going to be testing,’ Strauss told reporters on Wednesday at Lord’s. ‘As England captain things are sometimes thrown your way in a way that you have not necessarily been prepared to deal with.
‘We have to look at the best way of moving forward and quite frankly for the next five or six days it (the Pietersen issue) is not going to be in the forefront of my mind. I have to concentrate on my batting and leading the side out in the middle and we will address these issues come the end of the Test match.’
South Africa have outplayed England in the first two matches of the series and thoroughly deserve their 1-0 advantage heading to Lord’s.
Strauss hoped the situation the hosts’ find themselves in could work in their favour.
‘Adversity can bring you slightly closer together. We have seen that before with us on a number of occasions. That is going to be the test of us this week,’ he said.
‘I have got every confidence that we can win this test. This is a great opportunity for us to show some strength and resolve and come through.’
Playing 100 tests would be a proud moment for Strauss but he said he would not dwell on the achievement as it could serve to be as much a distraction as the Pietersen issue. (PTI)
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