Durban (S. Africa), Dec. 24 (ANI): England's best bat Kevin Pietersen has said he doesn't mind being abused by South Africans because of his decision to leave the country and turn out for England, but cannot stand it when the abuse takes place in front of kids.
"I don't mind being abused on the boundary. When you are in the field for 240 overs, it can get quite boring. So, it's quite fun to have some sort of interaction with the crowd. Anyway, it's good that the opposition get a fair amount of stick when they tour a country, as Australia get when they come to us and we get when we go to Australia," The Telegraph quoted KP, as saying."The only thing that I don't like is when people swear at you when there are kids around. That's happened a couple of times and I've had to ask the stewards to speak to the people concerned," he added.
Pietersen also said that he is looking forward to playing his first Test at his former "home" ground of Kingsmead from Saturday, when the second Test against South Africa gets under way. If he gets runs, England will look back with gratitude to the time he played against them there for Natal 10 years ago, an occasion that prompted him to go to England and become a batsman.
"My memories of playing in that game were quite clear, that off-spinning was not the future," Pietersen said, despite the fact he took four wickets in the match.
"So, I went to England and decided I had to learn to bat. "I was looking to move and it was just after that tour by England that I decided to pack all the bags and make a life-changing decision which turned out to be fantastic," he said.It could not have worked out much better for him had he dreamt it all up in a feather bed. England qualification with Nottinghamshire, a debut against Australia, two Ashes wins, sundry man-of-the-match awards and a pop star wife now pregnant with their first child - all in a whirlwind five years.
The only achievement that eludes him, save for a global one-day trophy, is a Test series win against South Africa. (ANI)
"I don't mind being abused on the boundary. When you are in the field for 240 overs, it can get quite boring. So, it's quite fun to have some sort of interaction with the crowd. Anyway, it's good that the opposition get a fair amount of stick when they tour a country, as Australia get when they come to us and we get when we go to Australia," The Telegraph quoted KP, as saying."The only thing that I don't like is when people swear at you when there are kids around. That's happened a couple of times and I've had to ask the stewards to speak to the people concerned," he added.
Pietersen also said that he is looking forward to playing his first Test at his former "home" ground of Kingsmead from Saturday, when the second Test against South Africa gets under way. If he gets runs, England will look back with gratitude to the time he played against them there for Natal 10 years ago, an occasion that prompted him to go to England and become a batsman.
"My memories of playing in that game were quite clear, that off-spinning was not the future," Pietersen said, despite the fact he took four wickets in the match.
"So, I went to England and decided I had to learn to bat. "I was looking to move and it was just after that tour by England that I decided to pack all the bags and make a life-changing decision which turned out to be fantastic," he said.It could not have worked out much better for him had he dreamt it all up in a feather bed. England qualification with Nottinghamshire, a debut against Australia, two Ashes wins, sundry man-of-the-match awards and a pop star wife now pregnant with their first child - all in a whirlwind five years.
The only achievement that eludes him, save for a global one-day trophy, is a Test series win against South Africa. (ANI)
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