KP says missing his wife doesn't affect England ambition

Kevin Pietersen has said he remains fully committed to playing overseas for England despite making public his unhappiness at being separated from his wife, the singer Jessica Taylor.

The South Africa born batsman was much criticised after admitting in an interview last week that he was at the end of his tether.

However, the gifted shotmaker said that remark was as much a reflection of how England had failed to win a game under his leadership in India and, up until the interview, had won just one match in the Caribbean - and that was only because West Indies coach John Dyson had handed them victory after misinterpreting the Duckworth/Lewis rule.

Hampshire batsman Pietersen's commitment was again questioned when he withdrew during Sunday's nine-wicket win over the West Indies in Barbados with a back spasm that threatens his availability for Friday's one-day series decider in St Lucia

"I've never said I want to miss a tour and there's no way I will ever miss a tour," Pietersen told the BBC on Tuesday. "I love touring.

"But there's no way I'll be without my wife for 11 weeks again."

The 28-year-old added: "The first half of the winter was a shambles under my leadership. We didn't come close to winning a game in India and we didn't come close to winning a game here before we won on Sunday - except for the mathematical error on the West Indies' part in Guyana.

"The comments were born from the frustration of that. We all want to go home, but it does not stop the commitment we all put in on a daily basis," said Pietersen, whom some have accused of being more interested in money, given that has signed a contract to play in the Indian Premier League with the Bangalore Royal Challengers, than the welfare of the England team.

"I am absolutely 100 percent passionate about playing for England. I absolutely never take it for granted about wearing the three lions on my chest," Pietersen, England's leading batsman in recent years, insisted.

"The second part of the frustration was I hadn't seen my wife since January 21. It's the longest period of time I've been away from her."

Pietersen confirmed he had asked for a 48-hour break to be with Taylor.

That request angered some England fans but Pietersen, who averages 51 in Tests and 46 in one-dayers, was adamant it had not caused a rift between himself and the rest of the squad.

LONDON, AFP