GRAHAM THORPE has been accused of distorting the truth about his retirement from international cricket after suggesting that he thought that the door was closed on a recall to the Test team. David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, said that England wanted Thorpe to remain in contention for the rest of the Ashes series despite being left out at Lord’s.

Thorpe felt that his England career was over after Graveney told him of his omission from the first npower Test. In his Sunday newspaper column, Thorpe said: “Had David Graveney and the England selectors asked me to continue to make myself available, I would have done. I had to read between the lines and the message I was receiving was that the door was closed.”

Comments from Graveney after the announcement on Friday had confirmed the wisdom of his decision. “He said that he had told me the door was still open, but you know when the subtle change in attitude happens,” Thorpe added. “Previously I have been backed and backed by selectors. This time he was trying to be noncommittal.”

Graveney contacted the player again on Wednesday last week, when Thorpe received a personal visit from Geoff Miller, another selector. Graveney said: “I underlined that in a perfect world we would like him to be available for selection, but at the same time we would respect the decision should he end his Test-match career. The precise terminology was that we would like to keep the door open.”

A source close to England suggested three days ago that Thorpe was down the pecking order of possible replacements, but Graveney said that he could not be specific about Thorpe’s place in the queue. “I purposely did not go down that route with him because what happens if the first batsman injured is an opener?” Graveney said.

“The last thing I want to do is cast a shadow over Graham Thorpe’s career, but the way he has told it I don’t think is a true reflection of the phone calls. For it to be portrayed like this is sad because it is just not the truth. It implies that we did not indicate to him that the door was open.”

Thorpe’s partner, Amanda, is expecting a child within the next fortnight and he intends to be present at the birth. But the couple had accepted that he would spend a couple of weeks away if he were chosen for back-to-back Tests in August. “We were prepared to deal with it, but all that changed when I had that chat with ‘Grav’,” he said.

DROPPING STANDARDS

FIRST INNINGS

Kevin Pietersen (Australia 40 for one): The first of his three chances when he put Ricky Ponting down on nought, a sharp chance at slip off Matthew Hoggard.

Andrew Strauss (Australia 155 for six): Strauss was unlucky after making a fine attempt to take Shane Warne above his head off Stephen Harmison.

Pietersen (Australia 178 for eight): Again failed to hold on as Brett Lee slashed a chance straight at him at gully off Harmison.

SECOND INNINGS

Pietersen (Australia 139 for three): Now fielding at cover, he dropped Michael Clarke, who had scored only 21 of his eventual 91, off Simon Jones.

Geraint Jones (Australia 333 for eight): Jones spilt Jason Gillespie off Simon Jones when he dived to his right for what should have been a regulation catch.

Andrew Flintoff (Australia 376 for nine): Guilty of a glaring miss at second slip after Simon Jones found the edge of Glenn McGrath’s bat and the ball arrived at chest height.

Geraint Jones (Australia 384 for nine): McGrath struggled to fend off a short ball from Simon Jones, the ball looping up behind him. The wicketkeeper ran forward and dived, but could not cling on.