COOK denies Pietersen ultimatum

Alastair Cook insisted he had issued no ultimatum that led to Kevin Pietersen's ongoing exile from the national side. After Andrew Strauss, the England and Wales Cricket Board's new director of cricket, confirmed Pietersen would remain in the international wilderness, reports emerged that Cook had issued a 'him or me' ultimatum and had threatened to resign if the South Africa-born Pietersen was recalled to the side. Cook, speaking to reporters at Lord's on Wednesday (May 20), said the decision over Pietersen had been taken by Strauss and Tom Harrison, the new ECB chief executive, alone. "There was no ultimatum. I can deny that," clarified Cook. "I don't know quite where that came from. "There is nothing we can do about it as players. The decision has been made, by Andrew Strauss and Tom Harrison," the opening batsman added ahead of Thursday's first Test against New Zealand at Lord's. But although he wasn't a party to the decision, Cook admitted he supported Pietersen's continuing absence from the England team. "I do agree with the decision, yes," he said. "But the decision was made by those two (Strauss and Harrison). That's what their new roles are, and they made that very clear when they were talking to the team. "This thing has gone on for 15 months now, and we've got to start looking forward as a side." Since England's recent 1-1 series draw in the West Indies, Strauss has also presided over the sacking of Peter Moores. "It's been an interesting two weeks," said Cook. "I'm responsible for the team out on the field and the 10 other guys who are going to be with me on another fantastic occasion at a great ground. "We've got to focus on that and all the external stuff is now focused on other people," added Cook, one of several senior England figures criticised in Pietersen's controversial autobiography published last year. "I'll let them do their job and hopefully they'll let me do mine." As for working with Paul Farbrace, Moores's erstwhile assistant, Cook felt it was good to have him as the interim coach. "It's another challenge, to have an interim coach. I think it's my fourth (coach) as a captain over the last two years," he said. "There are always challenges to deal with, and it's great to have Farby here." Strauss, Pietersen's successor as England captain, said a "massive trust issue" prevented the South Africa-born batsman's return, even though he is England's all-time leading run-scorer across all formats. That appeared to contradict comments from Colin Graves, the incoming England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, that a return was possible if Pietersen scored enough runs in county cricket. Unfortunately for Pietersen, and indeed the image of the ECB, Strauss told him he would remain frozen out of England contention shortly after he had scored his maiden first-class triple century during Surrey's County Championship match against Leicestershire at The Oval. Pietersen, currently sidelined with a calf injury, reacted angrily and suggested that his ongoing omission from the side might hamper England's search for a new coach, with Farbrace the only candidate willing to take the job while he was still barred from the international set-up. "He might be the only one who wants to use a team that's not allowed to be at full strength," Pietersen, the only qualified England player the selectors cannot pick currently, told breathesport.com.