ID :
34949
Wed, 12/10/2008 - 20:02
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http://m.oananews.org//node/34949
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No excuse please, we're here to win: Pietersen tells teammates
London, Dec 10 (PTI) England cricket captain Kevin
Pietersen is not interested in excuses and he expects his
teammates to ignore all distractions and deliver the goods in
the Test series against India.
The outcome of the series becomes almost irrelevant and
few would criticise England even if they lose the Test series.
It's a virtually win-win situation for the side after
Pietersen and his men who grew in stature by defying terror
and agreeing to continue the tour.
The England captain, however, is more interested in
winning the series, rather than scoring brownie points.
"You could say we can't lose in this situation, but
that's also a way of looking at things negatively and finding
excuses - I don't want any excuses about what has happened,"
Pietersen said.
"There is to be no nonsense said about what has happened.
I told the boys this morning that it's a case of coming to
this Test match series like it would be in England.
"We travelled on Monday, we'll practise on Tuesday and
Wednesday and play on Thursday. What has happened has happened
and we can't control it, but we're in a very privileged
position to be playing Test match cricket in India and we've
got to deal with it in a professional manner," the England
captain was quoted as saying by the 'Press Association' (PA).
With the 5-0 thrashing in the ODI series fresh in mind,
winning would not be easy for the England side, more so
especially in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Pietersen, however, is doing his best to get the focus back on
the game.
"The main focus now is definitely on the Test series. It
hasn't been a great start to the winter, there's been so much
that's happened in the last six weeks and it's now a case of
getting on and concentrating on the cricket.
"We need to chuck everything away that's happened in that
six weeks to make sure that now our primary goal and focus is
to try and win this Test match series," he said.
The heightened security around the team threatens to be
another distraction but Pietersen said every individual would
have to accept it and felt, from security point of view, the
subsequent future tours would be no different.
"Whatever was said to us has happened. For the rest of my
career, probably, that's what's going to happen now for future
tours to the sub-continent - we're just going to have to deal
with it and play the cricket.
"It can be stifling to a certain degree, but our primary
focus and goal now as international cricketers and sportsmen
is to try and win a Test series. We've got to chuck everything
away that's happened, create this little bubble that we've got
here and go and perform," he asserted. PTI AY
PMR
NNNN
Pietersen is not interested in excuses and he expects his
teammates to ignore all distractions and deliver the goods in
the Test series against India.
The outcome of the series becomes almost irrelevant and
few would criticise England even if they lose the Test series.
It's a virtually win-win situation for the side after
Pietersen and his men who grew in stature by defying terror
and agreeing to continue the tour.
The England captain, however, is more interested in
winning the series, rather than scoring brownie points.
"You could say we can't lose in this situation, but
that's also a way of looking at things negatively and finding
excuses - I don't want any excuses about what has happened,"
Pietersen said.
"There is to be no nonsense said about what has happened.
I told the boys this morning that it's a case of coming to
this Test match series like it would be in England.
"We travelled on Monday, we'll practise on Tuesday and
Wednesday and play on Thursday. What has happened has happened
and we can't control it, but we're in a very privileged
position to be playing Test match cricket in India and we've
got to deal with it in a professional manner," the England
captain was quoted as saying by the 'Press Association' (PA).
With the 5-0 thrashing in the ODI series fresh in mind,
winning would not be easy for the England side, more so
especially in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Pietersen, however, is doing his best to get the focus back on
the game.
"The main focus now is definitely on the Test series. It
hasn't been a great start to the winter, there's been so much
that's happened in the last six weeks and it's now a case of
getting on and concentrating on the cricket.
"We need to chuck everything away that's happened in that
six weeks to make sure that now our primary goal and focus is
to try and win this Test match series," he said.
The heightened security around the team threatens to be
another distraction but Pietersen said every individual would
have to accept it and felt, from security point of view, the
subsequent future tours would be no different.
"Whatever was said to us has happened. For the rest of my
career, probably, that's what's going to happen now for future
tours to the sub-continent - we're just going to have to deal
with it and play the cricket.
"It can be stifling to a certain degree, but our primary
focus and goal now as international cricketers and sportsmen
is to try and win a Test series. We've got to chuck everything
away that's happened, create this little bubble that we've got
here and go and perform," he asserted. PTI AY
PMR
NNNN
