14 Apr 2012

Pietersen says second rate Aussies taking place of talented Brits in IPL

9:24 am on 14 April 2012

The England batting star Kevin Pietersen has taken a swipe at inferior Australians playing in the Indian Premier League, saying they are filling the places of talented British cricketers.

Pietersen and left-handed batsman Eoin Morgan are the only England players appearing in the lucrative Twenty20 event.

The nine-team tournament includes Australian international players such as Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson and Michael Hussey as well as fringe Australian representatives and state players including Aiden Blizzard, Aaron Finch, James Faulkner and Luke Pomersbach.

Pietersen told the British tabloid The Sun that there are world-class players sitting in England like James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Ravi Bopara wanting to play in the IPL, while second rate Australians are getting the gigs.

According to The Sun, Anderson and World number one ranked T20 bowler Graeme Swann were ignored in the IPL auction.

He added that jealousy could be the reason for negative attitudes in England towards the cash-rich IPL and says people think that it's just a money-making racket.