Strauss, Pietersen on collision course over ECB central contracts

London, Oct. 11 (ANI): England captain Andrew Strauss has invited a confrontation with Kevin Pietersen after saying that the ECB is right in using central contracts to regulate its players.

Earlier, former captain Pietersen had hinted that he would shun the offer, saying the contracts "are not necessarily going to be things people are going to look forward to."

Last month, Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff caused a stir when he rejected a 70,000-pound deal from the ECB following his decision to quit Test match cricket.

However, Strauss reckons that England's star performers should put their country before their bank balance and the riches of the IPL.

"For one or two players, there is possibly the incentive not to have an ECB contract, but only one or two," News of the World quoted Strauss, as saying.

"From an employer's point of view, central contracts are more important than ever before so you have some control over what players can and can't do.

"I think everyone has to be mindful there are opportunities out there people want to exploit.

"KP is a good example of this.Players, fundamentally, are motivated by scoring runs and taking wickets for England.

"I don't think there is a case at the moment of any player wanting to opt out of a central contract. Obviously, Andrew Flintoff has done it, but his circumstances are very different," he said. (ANI)