Pietersen out of WC for hernia surgery

AP

Chennai, 07 March 2011: Kevin Pietersen was ruled out of the rest of England’s World Cup campaign on Monday because his hernia surgery is more urgent than initially suspected. The 30-year-old Pietersen had been scheduled for surgery after the tournament, but his condition worsened after batting and bowling in England’s six-run, Group B win over South Africa.

 

The England and Wales Cricket Board said Pietersen will return to England in the next 24 hours, and has applied to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for permission to call up Eoin Morgan as a replacement. Morgan would have been in England’s original 15-man squad but for a broken finger.

 

Pietersen was diagnosed with the injury after England’s 6-1 one-day series loss in Australia. The surgery requires six weeks recovery.

 

 

His injury was only confirmed after training on Saturday. Although he faced just three balls and scored two runs against South Africa before becoming the second opener to fall inside the first over, he bowled eight overs on a spin-friendly pitch to help England successfully defend 171.

 

Pietersen should still be unable to play for the Deccan Chargers despite the team having paid $650,000 for him in the Twenty20 Indian Premier League auction, but is scheduled to be fit for England’s first summer Test against Sri Lanka from May 26.

 

The IPL begins April 8, six days after the World Cup final. Pietersen scored 39, 31 and 59 opening in England’s other three tournament matches against the Netherlands, India and Ireland.