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[quote="Cricky"][img]http://www.vcricket.com/afp/CPS.NCC23.250708154611.photo00.quicklook.default-245x163.jpg[/img]

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has called on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to decide whether to enter the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan rather than force individual players to decide if they want to take part.

The ECB have held extensive discussions with senior players following the announcement on Thursday that the tournament would go ahead in Pakistan despite ongoing fears over security in the region.

A spate of bombings, the most recent coming in June when a suicide bomber killed 15 people in Islamabad, has led players from England and Australia to consider pulling out.

Pietersen said: "The ECB are coming together on - I think - August 3 or 4, having spoken to (chief executive) David Collier this morning, and he reassured me that the decision will probably be taken out of the players' hands, which is great.

"I really hope the players don't have to take the lead, to be totally honest. But I don't know, we'll see the outcome of that meeting, whatever the decision is.

"If it's taken out of the players' hands then great. If not, then I'll certainly make a decision."

Pietersen admitted he had sympathy for Nottinghamshire bowler Darren Pattinson, whose surprise call-up for the second Test against South Africa was blamed for England's crushing defeat at Headingley.

"First of all I'm not a selector so I'm not going to stand and talk about the selectors or the selection," Pietersen said.

"I know as an Englishman going across to Australia playing club cricket, I did that for a couple of years, and your first week you really feel like an outsider. The first game, you don't feel that you can express yourself.

"It was one of those situations where I totally feel sorry for the lad. He did his best, he is a lovely guy. I just feel sorry for him, that's the way it is."[/quote]

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