CSA 'disappointed' over Collier claims

Jacques Faul, CSA's acting CEO, has voiced his displeasure over the fallout of the Kevin Pietersen saga, with South African players being blamed for playing a role in the controversy. His comments come a day after the ECB chief executive David Collier suggested South African players had provoked Pietersen into the exchange of messages that led to him being dropped earlier this summer.

"I am very disappointed that this has played out in the media," Faul told ESPNcricinfo. "It is absolutely not true that our players provoked Pietersen."

CSA later issued a statement on the issue in which Faul added: "What is particularly disappointing is that I had a face-to-face meeting with Mr Collier when I was in London for the Lord's Test match. He did not raise this allegation with me then and I would have thought as a matter of courtesy and decency he would have spoken to me about it before going public in the media.

"It is not the way CSA goes about its business and it is not the way the ECB have done business with us in the past either. It is very disappointing because in the past our relationships with the ECB have always been cordial and constructive.

"This is an internal ECB matter in which we do not wish to be involved. It served as a distraction to our players that we did not need during the Test series."

Media reports had also suggested that the South African board was pondering legal action over Collier's claims, but a senior CSA official denied any such move.

Collier had said on Sunday that he believed the messages were a South African strategy to unsettle England. "I think there was a tactic which was used," Collier said. "I think that is sadly some of the ways of modern sport."

Last week, the ECB announced a process of "reintegration" for Pietersen following his exile from the team during the summer after it was revealed he had sent provocative messages to the South Africans. Initially it was claimed these included tactical advice on how to dismiss Andrew Strauss although this has since been denied.