STRAUSS TELLS KP YOU ARE SO WRONG
England skipper disagrees with Pietersen
ANDREW STRAUSS is on collision course with Kevin Pietersen after the England star blasted the ECB's use of central contracts.
Former captain Pietersen reckons England stars of the future will shun the offer, suggesting the contracts "are not necessarily going to be things people are going to look forward to."
Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff caused a stir last month when he rejected a £70,000 deal from the ECB following his decision to quit Test match cricket but continue as a one-day international.
But current skipper Strauss is adamant that England's star performers should put their country before their bank balance and the riches of the IPL.
"For one or two players, there is possibly the incentive not to have an ECB contract, but only one or two," said Strauss at the launch of his book, Testing Times - In Pursuit of the Ashes.
"I think that the difference with cricket is that it's a team game.
"From an employer's point of view, central contracts are more important than ever before so you have some control over what players can and can't do.
"I think everyone has to be mindful there are opportunities out there people want to exploit.
"KP is a good example of this. Players, fundamentally, are motivated by scoring runs and taking wickets for England.
"That's the way of them increasing their opportunities and their profile.
"I don't think there is a case at the moment of any player wanting to opt out of a central contract.
"Obviously, Andrew Flintoff has done it but his circumstances are very different.
"From an employer's point of view, they (central contracts) are more important than ever."
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