Kevin Pietersen fined over criticism of Sky's Nick Knight on Twitter

Published May 24 2012, 17:36 BST  |  By Andrew Laughlin

England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has been fined for comments he made on Twitter about Sky commentator Nick Knight.

Pietersen used his feed on the microblogging site to criticise Knight, who was appearing on Sky's coverage of England's first Test against the West Indies at Lord's.

He wrote: "Can somebody please tell me how Nick Knight has worked his way into the commentary box for the Tests?? Ridiculous."

At a disciplinary hearing yesterday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) opted to impose an undisclosed fine on Pietersen, part suspended for 12 months.

"The ECB announced that Kevin Pietersen today attended a disciplinary hearing convened by Hugh Morris, managing director - England Cricket and Andy Flower, England team director," said the ECB in a statement.

"The hearing considered recent comments made by Pietersen on Twitter to be prejudicial to the interests of the ECB and a breach of the England player conditions of employment in relation to clauses regarding public statements.

"Pietersen has been fined an undisclosed sum, part of which has been suspended for 12 months, in accordance with the terms and conditions of his England central contract."

Morris is known for his wariness of England players using Twitter, once describing use of the microblogging site as "like giving a machine gun to a monkey".

This is also not the first time that Pietersen has come under fire for his posts on the site, after he announced his dropping from the England one-day squad before it was officially confirmed.

The ECB, which has a TV contract with Sky worth more than £300m, has seemingly taken a hard line with Pietersen to signal a note of caution to others.

Prior to the hearing, England opener Alastair Cook said that the controversy would not affect the team's preparations for the second Test against the West Indies next week at Trent Bridge.

"I'm not really on Twitter so I didn't really see it until yesterday," Cook told PA.

"It's not anything to do with me. It certainly won't distract us as a side. It just shows in the modern world how everything's always accessible.

"It always does get blown out of proportion, let's be honest. We always turn the volume down in the dressing room. I'm more worried about that red ball coming down at me than I am about what people are saying about it (on television)."