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MCC to discuss Pietersen's switch hitting

June 16, 2008 21:56 IST

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) will discuss on Tuesday England batsman Kevin Pietersen's spectacular switch-hitting in a one-day international against New Zealand on Sunday.

The right-handed Pietersen twice changed grips and switched to a left-hander's stance against Scott Styris, pulling both deliveries for six.

Some commentators said he had taken an unfair advantage because bowlers have to notify a batsman if they decide to bowl with the other arm.

A spokeswoman for the MCC, the custodian of cricket's laws, said Pietersen's revolutionary tactics would be discussed on Tuesday at the request of the International Cricket Council.

"Tomorrow our secretary Keith Bradshaw, our head of cricket John Stephenson and other committee members will be having a meeting and one of the things they are going to be discussing is Kevin Pietersen's shot as the MCC have been asked to look at it by the ICC," she said.

"The shot has generated quite a lot of interest but we won't be making any further comment until after that meeting on Tuesday."

Pietersen, who reverse-swept a six two years ago off Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan using the conventional right-hander's grip, defended the innovation after his unbeaten 110 had set up a 114-run win over the Kiwis.

"Everybody wants brand new ideas, new inventions and new shots. That is a new shot played today and people should be saying it's a new way to go," he told reporters.

"There are new things happening for cricket at the moment and people shouldn't be criticising it all the time."

Photograph: Getty Images

 

Source: REUTERS
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