Eddie McGuire won’t be standing in the way of prized recruit Kevin Pietersen’s Twitter account when he heads to Melbourne to join the Stars in this summer’s Big Bash League.
Stars president McGuire isn’t too concerned about Pietersen’s inclination to rock the boat with a controversial tweet or comment, or over his ending confidentially agreement with the England and Wales cricket board following the player’s sacking from the Test side earlier in the year.
The outspoken veteran of 104 Tests hasn’t had much good to say about the current English regime, going as far as labelling captain Alastair Cook as selfish last month and questioning his leadership ability.
But the revelations will kick off this month when Pietersen releases a damaging autobiography, set to make him the focus of the cricket headlines until the summer schedule gets underway.
McGuire is well aware of the unpredictable personality heading into the Stars’ locker room, but says the club won’t be going out of its way to censor the international acquisition.
“I don’t think I’ve got much control over KP so I may as well just be happy about it I suppose,” McGuire joked on Wednesday.
“But that’s what’s going to be fun. For the first time in his life will walk onto a ground in Australia and be cheered, which will be fantastic.
“I’ve spoken to him about that and he is looking forward to coming down here. He’s a blockbuster cricketer … he’s exciting, we know that, controversy follows him.
“He’ll be on Twitter, he’ll be pumping things up, hopefully he’ll be going berserk with the bat and making lots or runs for us.”
A few new faces will join Pietersen and the Stars when they kick off their BBL campaign against Adelaide on December 18.
Fast-bowler Luke Feldman has been acquired from Sydney while spinner James Muirhead landed a new deal announced on Wednesday to join the re-signed Marcus Stoinis, Scott Boland and Alex Keath.
