Pietersen, Moores leave England roles, Strauss to lead

England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen has resigned and coach Peter Moores was fired following a power struggle that threatened to derail the team's efforts to regain the Ashes this year.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said it reluctantly accepted Pietersen's decision to quit in an effort to maintain unity in the dressing room. The star South Africa-born batsman insisted he only resigned after his position was made untenable by speculation over his future.

The ECB announced at a news conference that Andrew Strauss will captain England on a Test and one-day series in the West Indies that starts Jan. 21. A coach has yet to be announced.

"I have an extremely high respect and regard for Kevin Pietersen but this has become an impossible situation given the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship between captain and coach," England Cricket managing director Hugh Morris said in a statement.

"Kevin recognized that in the present situation it was impossible to restore the dressing room unity, which is vital, if England are to win the forthcoming tour to the Caribbean, the ICC global events or regain the Ashes."

Pietersen, who had been in the role for just five months, confirmed his departure in a statement but denied reports that had run all Wednesday in the British media that he quit early in the day.

"I wish to make it very clear I did not resign as captain of the England cricket team this morning," Pietersen said. "However, in the light of recent communications of the ECB and the unfortunate media stories and speculation that subsequently appeared, I now consider that would be extremely difficult for me to continue in my current position with the England cricket team.

"Accordingly, I have as of this afternoon decided to stand down as England captain with immediate effect."

The West Indies also visits England this year before the five-Test Ashes series against Australia - the biennial highlight of the cricket calendar for both sides.

While the continued presence of a player who averages 50.48 in 45 Tests gives England fans some hope as they dream of winning the Ashes back from Australia, Pietersen's resignation represents just the latest upheaval for the team.

The hugely talented Pietersen was only appointed captain in August after Michael Vaughan resigned following a home series loss to South Africa.

Vaughan presided over the successful 2005 Ashes team, but England's fortunes faded as the team struggled in its search for a suitable replacement.

Strauss was passed over for the captaincy when Vaughan was out injured for the 2006-07 Ashes in Australia, and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was in charge for a 5-0 series loss that represented the worst ever defense of the urn.

Strauss was overlooked again when Pietersen took over from Vaughan to win the final Test of the recent series against South Africa. England then lost a two-match series 1-0 in India and Pietersen was criticized by some observers as tactically naive.

Pietersen was reported to have refused to lead England in the Caribbean unless the ECB acted over his unhappiness with Moores.

Before leaving for a two-week break in South Africa following the tour of India, Pietersen told Moores he wanted Vaughan recalled to tour the West Indies despite the Yorkshire batsman hardly playing for the past four months.

Strauss, who has hit 14 centuries in 55 Tests, has already shown he can flourish in the captain's role.

With Vaughan injured, he led the team against Pakistan in July 2006 and hit a second-innings 128 for the highest Test score by an Englishman leading his country for the first time. He then hit another ton in the third Test to lead England to a 2-0 series victory.

Strauss made his England debut against New Zealand in May 2004 at his home ground of Lord's. The Middlesex batsman struck 112 in the first innings to become just the 15th Englishman to score a century on Test debut.

After a successful series against West Indies and a tour to South Africa in which he averaged 72.88 and reached 1,000 runs in his 10th Test, Strauss was firmly established by the time of the 2005 Ashes.

He was the only player on either team to hit two centuries in the series as England won the urn for the first time since 1987.