COOLIDGE, Antigua (CMC):England's captain Kevin Pietersen has blamed lack of focus for his team's huge loss in the historic Stanford Twenty20 for 20 match Saturday night.
The Stanford Superstars, an inspired group of West Indies cricketers, whipped England by 10 wickets in the US$20 million winner-take-all fixture at the Stanford Cricket Ground and Pietersen said his players allowed distractions to knock them off their best game.
"It started during the week, there has been a lot of nonsense and unfortunately I don't think we concentrated hard enough on our cricket," Pietersen said after the game.
"The main focus should have been to come in and concentrate on our cricket and that's what we've got to focus on," he added.
99 all out
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, England plunged to 99 all out in 19.5 overs.
Samit Patel top-scored with 22, while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn bowled splendidly for three for 16 off 3.5 overs, backed up well by Man of the Match Darren Sammy (2-13), Jerome Taylor (2-24) and Kieron Pollard (2-26).
The Stanford Superstars lost no wickets in the run-chase as captain Chris Gayle belted an unbeaten 65 off 45 balls with five fours and five sixes and the young Grenadian Andre Fletcher stroked 32 not out, as the home side rushed to 101 without loss in just 12.4 overs.
Pietersen appeared to suggest that off-the-field issues that flourished in the media during the week triggered distractions for them and as a result, his players delivered below-par performances at the critical time.
Among the non-cricket issues that surfaced during the week was Sir Allen Stanford, the event's financier, "flirting" with English players' wives and girlfriends.
Richest team prize ever
Pietersen believes widespread English media coverage questioning the seriousness of the event, which provided the richest team prize ever for a single sporting match, helped to trigger a lack of focus for his players.
He suggested that their approach next time must be different.
"We are going to have to buy into this a lot, lot more because it is hard to lose, I hate losing," Pietersen said.
"It is hard to see them running around here (celebrating)," he added, referring to the Superstars as they displayed unbridled post-match joy in a victory lap.
The match was the first of a five-year series worth US$100 million.
