Pietersen severs links with Nottinghamshire

Kevin Pietersen: leaving Trent Bridge after three years © Getty Images Enlarge

England's Kevin Pietersen will leave Nottinghamshire after turning down the offer of a new contract. Although born in South Africa, Pietersen, 24, played for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship for three years as a home-qualified player through his British mother - and averaged more than 50 each season.

Despite finishing top of the Nottinghamshire batting averages in 2003, Pietersen publicly expressed his desire to leave after falling out with his team-mates. He threatened legal action if Nottinghamshire did not release him, although he had a year left on his contract at this time, a commitment which he eventually went on to fulfil. But now Pietersen, who became eligible for England selection at the end of the season, and was immediately picked in the one-day squad to tour Zimbabwe, has decided to seek a new county.

"We offered him a new three-year deal on a considerable salary which would have maintained his status as one of the highest-paid players at the club but he has chosen not to accept it," said Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire's director of cricket. "It's very disappointing because, from a pure cricket point of view, I can't see what else we could have done to make him stay."