Pietersen says sorry to England for his foul-mouthed Tweet

(AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

Kevin Pietersen yesterday sought to put an end to Tweetgate by apologising to the England hierarchy for his foul-mouthed posting on Tuesday which let the world know not only that he had been dropped from the international limited-overs set up but also his displeasure with the situation.

"It was a mistake that the Tweet went out there," Pietersen said before he made his Surrey debut against Worcestershire here last night. "It wasn't anything against the England selectors or the England set-up. I was pretty upset about my own form and frustrated about it too.

"I have spoken to the coach [Andy Flower] T20 captain [Paul Collingwood] chair of selectors [Geoff Miller] and the managing director of English cricket [Hugh Morris] and they all totally understand so it's onwards and upwards from now and I'm looking forward to the next two weeks at Surrey."

Pietersen broke the story on Twitter with the message: "Done for rest of summer!! Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too... Its [sic] a fuck up!!"

The outburst angered Miller, who may still reprimand the 30-year-old for the incident. "It came out in the way that I didn't want it to come out," Pietersen said. "It was something that wasn't meant for the public domain and I apologise for it entering the public domain and I also want to apologise for the language I used."

Although 33,000 internet users log on on a daily basis to follow Pietersen's Tweets only 5,000 pitched up at The Oval last night to see the England batsman seek time in the middle to improve his faltering form. In a deal that costs Surrey precisely nothing, the centrally-contracted Pietersen will see out the remaining three weeks of the domestic season in SE11, where he will seek time in the middle ahead of the Ashes.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for me to get back into nick," he added. "Hopefully I will be able to get five or six, seven knocks in the next two weeks and sort myself out for what will be an exciting winter."

Pietersen's spent yesterday afternoon in Kennington signing autographs and then leather-chasing as Worcestershire set about posting an impressive 300-plus total in this Clydesdale40 game.

Having taken to the outfield flanked by two burly stewards, Pietersen took part in the pre-match game of five-a-side football, goal-hanging as his side lost 2-0 to those wearing the bibs. He then suffered the indignity of watching the ball go past him at regular intervals at long-on and long-off as Worcestershire's stylish right-hander Vikram Solanki clattered a 68-ball century with 11 fours and a brace of sixes.

Worse followed when Pietersen leaked 17 runs from his sole over of the innings. He had Gareth Andrew dropped from his first ball at long-off, the left-hander went on to rub salt in the wounds by reaching an eye-catching 58-ball hundred.

Whilst conceding that Pietersen's capture has not met with the universal approval of Surrey's faithful, the club's cricket manager, Chris Adams, believes there are plusses from having him around. "My remit is to take us forward as a competitive entity and having Kevin here, even for a short time, falls within that remit as far as I see it," Adams said.

"I view Kevin as England's best batsman. He may not be England's form batsman right now, but as we know, form is only temporary and so he won't be far away from finding his feet again."