Jamie Fleet: Move on from Kevin Pietersen

The man who first brought Kevin Pietersen to play cricket in England admitted the superstar batsman will always divide opinion.

Jamie Fleet, former chairman of Cannock Cricket Club, helped bring Pietersen to England from the Natal when the batsman was then just an aspiring bowler.

Pietersen was housed at the club and Fleet's wife Marion did his washing. "Even his pants," recalled Fleet.

But, as in his summer at Cannock, Pietersen still divides opinion.

Fleet remembers Pietersen's season at the club and is at pains to say he would welcome the superstar back to Chase Park should he ever be passing.

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"The issues around Kevin Pietersen at Cannock are well documented," said Fleet, who was brought numerous overseas players to Cannock through the years.

"He said in his book that he didn't like the accent and a few other things that everyone remembers.

"But from my point of view, anyone who scores 300 runs plus in a first class game deserves to be looked at.

"However, England also need to look at the bigger picture.

"There are other players who are scoring runs. They took Adam Lyth to the Caribbean but he didn't get a chance there and I see Johnny Bairstow has been scoring runs for Yorkshire again. Does that mean that there should be a campaign for them to be in the England team?"

Fleet added: "Kevin divides opinion in the country like no-one else.

"Andrew Strauss is a couple of days into his job and he is much better placed than me to say what the best thing for England is.

"Whenever someone scores 300 in a game, they are going to be on the radar but does that mean that there should be a clamour for everyone who gets a big score in a county game? My personal view is that England could do with looking at the bowling attack rather than the batting, someone to back up Anderson."

Fleet added that he still retains many positive memories of then then teenage Pietersen, who played an important role in Cannock winning the Birmingham Premier League in 2000 under skipper Laurie Potter.

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"He came mainly as a bowler to the club. He played well and he played in a very good team under Laurie Potter. I remember he looked a tremendous talent and obviously he went on to prove that."

For the future though, Fleet says he is relieved the Pietersen issue now rests with the new England director of cricket. "Andrew Strauss has said the issue is one of trust, and if that is the case then he has to look at the big picture for England," he added.

"He has a big job on his hands. He needs to look at the big picture, not just current form." Asked if the latest KP furore brought back any memories of Pietersen's time in Cannock, Fleet was more guarded.

"It reminds me that Cannock Cricket Club is part of Kevin Pietersen's history and we're very proud that he played here.

"He's someone we would be delighted to see back at Cannock and I wish him all the best."