Cricket is a man's game: Pietersen

Chittagong, Mar 19 : England batsman Kevin Pietersen has defended his team-mates’ aggressive approach in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong, by claiming that cricket is a man’s game.

“It's a man's game this, it's not a game for girls - especially when you're playing Test match cricket. You go to the Ashes, I was christened in international cricket and believe me I got a lot worse in my first Ashes series against those Australians than anything we've chucked at the Bangladeshis out here,” The Telegraph quoted Pietersen, as saying.

“So I'd say it's an absolute load of nonsense they way the boys have been made out to be because I think they've been brilliant. We haven't crossed the line and I think the boys have been fantastic in everything they've done,” he added.

Pietersen’s comment comes after off-spinner Graeme Swann and fast bowler Stuart Broad apologised for incidents, which were believed to have overstepped the fair play line, during the series opener.

Swann was in the middle of a controversy after his gratuitous outburst against Junaid Siddique.

The Bangladeshi batsman completed his maiden Test hundred before Swann struck to swing the match in England's favour, but on dismissing Siddique, the off-spinner raised his middle finger and roared “f*** off”, he later apologised for his behaviour.

Meanwhile, Broad attracted censure for racing the full length of the pitch in a successful search of an lbw decision against Abdur Razzak.