Pietersen serves Notts with unfair-dismissal papers

Kevin Pietersen has served Nottinghamshire with papers claiming that he has been unfairly dismissed. His unwillingness to honour the remaining year of his four-year contract has been widely reported in recent weeks.

"The club has been aware for some time of comments in the press attributed to Kevin claiming that legal proceedings will be launched to enable him to terminate his contract," said David Collier, Nottinghamshire's chief executive. "He has not invoked the club's grievance procedure. Earlier today the club were served by Employment Tribunal proceedings. We are advised by our lawyers that such action is out of time and unlikely to be allowed to go ahead.

The reasons behind Pietersen's desire to move on have been well documented, as has Nottinghamshire's insistence that they would hold him to his contract.

"We have made every effort possible to secure his long-term future at Trent Bridge providing him with excellent remuneration and long-term security," Collier explained. "Nottinghamshire's position is that Kevin has a contract for the 2004 season and we are not prepared to release him from that contract to join another county for next season.

"If any player has a grievance we would strongly prefer that those matters be resolved by the player sitting down with the club's management rather than engaging costly professional advice or launching legal proceedings.

"Members may rest assured that acting with our lawyers we will seek to achieve what is best for the club and will do all we can to uphold the sanctity of cricket's contract and registration system," Collier concluded. "In view of the proceedings which have now been launched the club cannot comment further at this time."