Time to 'grow up' and win Ashes: Crowe

New Zealand cricket legend Martin Crowe has accused the England and Wales Cricket Board of “taking its eye off its sole purpose” during the ongoing conflict with Kevin Pietersen.

It was one of several blunt messages Crowe had for both Pietersen and the ECB, as he said he believed the “recurring nightmare” between the batsman and cricket board had set back the evolution of English cricket.

“It will take more time than one might think to restore,” Crowe told ESPNcricinfo.

“The ECB aren't representing their patriotic fans anymore, just their self-serving egos, to match that of Pietersen. 

"If Pietersen is a strong patriot - which one must surely be to qualify to play Test cricket for a country - then I have seen nothing of it.

“He is on a personal crusade, and always has been. They are as bad as each other.”

The situation between Pietersen and the ECB took another turn last week when new director of cricket Andrew Strauss said the controversial batsman was not in England’s plans for the Ashes due to a “massive trust issue”.

Pietersen – who had just scored an unbeaten 355 for Surrey – claimed he had received "incredibly deceitful" treatment from Graves and the ECB, after earlier comments from incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves had appeared to suggest a return was possible if Pietersen scored enough runs in county cricket.

In a statement released on Friday, Graves said he "didn't make any promises" to Pietersen about a possible return to Test cricket.

The latest controversy continued a troubled period for England after their premature exit from the World Cup, drawn series in the Caribbean, and the subsequent sacking of coach Peter Moores.

Crowe, who is battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer, offered Graves a solution to enable both parties to move forward.

“Colin Graves needs to tell Andrew Strauss, Peter Moores, KP and Alastair Cook to grow up and go get the Ashes back for the people of England," he said.

“Put all of the culprits and egos back in the room together, proving once and for all that they do care about the hard-working folk doing the hard yards who need something to cheer.”

Crowe said he believed talented young batsman Joe Root, named Test vice-captain last week, was the right person to lead the team away from the controversy and towards an seemingly unlikely Ashes victory over Australia.

"Every single person must forgive. It's all useless history to carry. There is an urn to be won, and Joe Root is the man with no fear to lead this team out.

"Take a leap of faith, as Nelson Mandela would suggest, and pull off the greatest cricket story ever.

"You can tell your grandchildren that despite all the odds, you won the urn back, together. Now that is the meaning of sport."

LATEST KP COVERAGE

• Cook would have quit over KP, report says
• Graves hits back at critics
• Winning, whining and the KP conundrum
• KP lashes out at 'deceitful' England
• Andrew Ramsey: Bat talked but it had all been said
• Siddle wary of England bounce back
• Aussie quicks in disbelief over KP dumping
• Triple centurion KP has England dream dashed