Pietersen hernia op deals fresh blow to England

Kevin Pietersen

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – England’s most dangerous batsman  Kevin Pietersen is struggling with a hernia which needs an  operation after the World Cup, another blow to their faltering  campaign in the tournament.
The England Cricket Board (ECB) stressed that Pietersen, 30,  will soldier on in the sub-continent but a medical report has  shown that his condition is worsening.
“As the symptoms have been getting worse… the appropriate  course of action is for Kevin to undergo a routine operation  upon his return to the UK after England’s World Cup campaign,”  ECB chief medical officer Nicholas Peirce said in a statement.

Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen has yet to fire on all cylinders for his country  in the tournament as a win over Netherlands was followed by a  tied result with co-hosts India and a shock defeat by Ireland on  Wednesday.
“I’m obviously extremely disappointed to have picked up this  hernia injury but I’ve been able to manage it so far throughout  the World Cup and will continue to do so under the guidance of  the England team’s medical staff,” Pietersen was quoted as  saying in the statement.
“It will no doubt impact my preparation but careful  management should see me still play a significant role in the  team’s campaign.
“Representing England in a World Cup is something I’ve been  looking forward to for the past four years and I’m excited by  the prospect of helping the team achieve something special here  on the sub-continent against the best teams in the world.”
So far, Pietersen has scored 39 against the Netherlands, 31  against India and 59 in the defeat by Ireland.
Peirce continued: “Kevin will continue to be managed  throughout the World Cup and we would expect him to make a full  recovery following a recuperation and rehabilitation period of  approximately six weeks after the operation.”
Pietersen was slated to play in a domestic Twenty20  competition in India after the Feb 19-April 2 tournament but  will now not be fit until the English cricket season when Sri  Lanka and India will be the touring teams.
To date, 12 players have been forced out of the World Cup  through injury.
England play their next match against South Africa — the  country of Pietersen’s birth — on Sunday in Chennai in Group B.