‘Shut up’: Steve Harmison whacks Kevin Pietersen over fiery rant

Kevin Pietersen’s vicious monologue sent shockwaves through the cricket world, and now one of his own teammates has hit back at the former England batter.

Former England cricketers Steve Harmison (left) and Kevin Pietersen (right)

Kevin Pietersen’s passionate monologue at tea on day one of the Lord’s Test sent shockwaves through the cricket world, with the former batter livid at Ben Stokes’ England team being visibly friendly with the visiting Australians as well as not playing aggressive enough cricket, allowing the Aussies to reach 5 for 339 at stumps on day one.

Pietersen, in his rant you can watch above, branded the English as “shambolic”, saying it “wasn’t good enough”, and that it was “not Ashes cricket”.

Now one of Pietersen’s former teammates, Steve Harmison, has responded in kind, telling talkSPORT that Pietersen’s views “wouldn’t be well received” by any dressing room.

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“I don’t think it was justified,” Harmison said, discussing the views of both Pietersen and former England captain Michael Vaughan, who also criticised the current side.

“I think this team has had one or two bad days in 12-13 months.

“I think some of the stuff that they were having a go at them (for), too matey, I think there’s a time and a place.

“But they’re in the mainstream media, they’re paid to give their opinion, and I’m not going to knock Kevin for having his opinion – he’s always had it.

“He was always forceful with it, it wasn’t always warranted, it wasn’t always best received!

“I’m sure it wasn’t best received in the England dressing room (ahead of day two), it certainly wasn’t best received by the England dressing room when we were in it!

“But a few of us could say to Kevin, in no uncertain terms, to shut up.

“But he’s getting paid to give his opinion.”

Harmison took 226 Test wickets for England across the 2000s.

Harmison said while Pietersen’s views had some merit, they were best expressed in hindsight, rather than after day one when there was “plenty of cricket to play”.

“I think at times there was a lot of frustration (on day one), but you’ve got to look at it in a five-day way,” he said.

“If he said that on day five when England have just got beaten, I’d probably agree with him.

“But if you say that on day one, when there’s a lot of cricket to be played, the sun’s gotta come out, and you’ve still got three innings to go – I’ll agree with him if England lose this Test match, because it was a poor day yesterday.

“Shambolic? I’m not so sure.”

Harmison is not the only one of Pietersen’s former teammates to clash with him publicly, with spinner Graeme Swann unloading earlier in the year.

Swann described Pietersen, who was known for his often-frosty relationships with teammates and administrators alike, as “different” and saying that the pair “never liked each other” on a podcast earlier this year.

“It was the most bizarre (situation) you know, you’re living in a bit of a soap opera,” Swann said.

“Kev’s different to everyone else I’ve ever met in my life and he said ‘it’s hard to be me, in (the England) change room’. Yeah Kev, because you f**ked it all up!”

Pietersen was one of the most mercurial figures in the history of English cricket. (AAP Image/Paul Miller)

While Pietersen was always outspoken, the height of turbulence in the England set up came in 2012, with the star batter caught sending derogatory texts about teammates Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower to opposition players during a Test match.

The texts reportedly referred to Strauss as a “doos” – an Afrikaans slang term broadly translating to an idiot.

It comes as former England players line up to take potshots at the carefree “Bazball” philosophy of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, with legendary batter David Gower begging “Bazball to get smarter”.

“I’m getting sick of people running down the pitch and missing it when they’re playing well,” Gower said on day two at Lord’s.

Former captain Michael Vaughan also had his two cents, saying “we can’t mix entertainment with stupidity.”

Vaughan’s predecessor, Nasser Hussain, was also critical of England’s batting approach, cr

“At times the percentages weren’t in their favour,” Hussain said.

“The pull and the hook shot – when there’s two men out – OK. But when there’s three men out then suddenly the percentages, the risk taking is not in your favour.”