Ponting backs KP on bullies

Australia's former cricket captain, Ricky Ponting, entered the Kevin Pietersen row yesterday, speaking out in support of the England "badboy" who wrote in his recently published autobiography of an alleged "bullying" culture within the England team.

Pietersen, in one of several controversial claims, accused England's senior bowlers and wicketkeeper Matt Prior of aggressively demanding apologies for any mistakes made in the field, from teammates not in their clique.

Retired offspinner Graeme Swann, one bowler singled out by Pietersen, said yesterday there was "absolutely no bullying" but Ponting, Australia's captain from 2004-11, supported Pietersen's claims.

"We saw them doing it, [James] Anderson was always the same, as was Swann," Ponting told the Sydney Daily Telegraph yesterday.

"There was this pointing of fingers and you'd hear expletives if there was a misfield or a dropped catch from the so-called leaders."

Ponting insisted the "bullying" alleged by Pietersen had been evident for some time.

Earlier, former England captain Michael Vaughan had ridiculed the leaked ECB report into Pietersen's alleged misbehaviour, which accused him of "staring out the window" and "looking at his watch" in team meetings led by then coach Andy Flower.

It also said he told his teammates to get thicker skins when they complained about tweets from television interviewer Piers Morgan, a friend of Pietersen's, criticising their efforts.

The report incorrectly spelt England captain Alastair Cook's name "Alistair".

Former England captain Michael Vaughan derided the report, tweeting that he had "never read as much bullsh*t in all my time".

He added: "Never laughed so much ... England are 4-0 down in the Ashes because of @piersmorgan tweet."

The ECB insisted the e-mail received by the Cricinfo website was not the official dossier compiled by Flower, criticised severely in Pietersen's book, but an internal e-mail draft drawn up by their lawyers.

South African-born Pietersen dismissed the e-mail's contents, saying: "They couldn't even spell Cooky's name right. It's a joke. I'm done with it."