Pietersen returns to England fold

LONDON — Kevin Pietersen will be slowly reintegrated into the England side after the brilliant but controversial batsman settled his drawn-out rift with team management, earning him a short-term central contract.

Pietersen has been out of favor with England since being dropped for sending provocative phone messages to South Africa players about then-test captain Andrew Strauss in August, disrupting the unity of the team and leaving him an outcast.

But after lengthy talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board, Pietersen will undertake a program of reintegration after which selectors "will consider Kevin for future matches," effectively putting him on probation.

"It's been a horrible situation for all involved but thankfully we have drawn a line under it," the 32-year-old Pietersen said at a news conference in Colombo on Wednesday. "Playing cricket for England is the pinnacle of any cricketer's career, and I want an opportunity to do that again as soon as possible."

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