Graphic: Kings and knaves: who likes who in the England camp

Video: Pietersen returns to England | Video: Pietersen's press conference

Warne plays down England link | Pietersen tops Strauss' in-tray | England coaching job would suit an Aussie | Strauss has case for one-day captaincy | Why cricket conspires against Pietersen | Miller insists he was unaware of ‘deep-rooted problems’

Previously on The Long Room, the year's must-watch drama series: Kevin and Peter's relationship is in crisis. Kevin gambles that the company will back him but when key Long Room staffers such as Freddie make it known that they prefer Peter, both lose their jobs. Andrew gets promoted. Shane has been blamed for Kevin's actions, while Duncan makes a surprising reappearance to attack the company. Michael and Kevin are close, but is Michael just using Kevin to get what he wants? And why does no one ever mix with Monty?

England coaching job would suit an Aussie

Darren Lehmann would be the best Antipodean to replace Peter Moores - it would not be me

• Shane Warne plays down England link

• Kevin Pietersen tops Andrew Strauss' in-tray

• Andrew Strauss has case for one-day captaincy

BACKGROUND

• Cricket conspired against Pietersen

• Miller was unaware of problems

• Latest action from the Long Room at Lord's

• Snape: Ashes will be a psychological battle

Multimedia

• Video: Pietersen returns to England

• Video: Pietersen's press conference

Times Archive, 1974: Boycott walks out

To an uncommon degree, Boycott is a man driven by personal ambition. This being so he finds it more difficult than most to accept a subordinate position

• Times Archive: Sport

BACKGROUND

• Strauss must heal England's rifts

• Strauss asked to pick up the pieces

• Ashes bid in chaos as big gamble fails

• Pietersen: England's flawed genius

Multimedia

• Pietersen's England career

• Do England's Ashes hopes lie in ruin?

Related Links

• Pietersen: a player who moves in mysterious ways

The disintegration of Team England has been dispiriting and Andrew Strauss, the new captain, knows that some of his side are more team-mates than soul-mates. His task is to ensure that the differing cliques can work together. It will help that Strauss is generally liked and respected, even if some players think he is a bit too much of a Peter Perfect. Here is how the rest split:

The Flintoff camp (Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, James Anderson): sensitive fast bowlers who dislike batsmen getting the credit for their hard work. The three were the least keen to return to India before Christmas.

The Pietersen camp (Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Michael Vaughan): batsmen and captains who thrived under Duncan Fletcher and were no fans of Peter Moores.

The Darts camp (Harmison, Alastair Cook, Flintoff): those who relax with a few games of 501. Harmison travels everywhere with his dartboard and Cook has installed an oche in his Essex home.

The Nottinghamshire camp (Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann): the county team-mates get on well, although all three started at other counties and so didn't experience the Nottinghamshire dressing-room when Pietersen was there.

The Anglo-Asians (Owais Shah, Ravi Bopara): the batsmen are often seen at dinner together. Shah has also taken Adil Rashid, the Yorkshire leg spinner, under his wing.

Ashes heroes (Flintoff, Pietersen, Ian Bell, Collingwood, Vaughan, Harmison, Strauss): went through a lot together, but sometimes that can make people less willing to welcome newcomers.

New boys (Matt Prior, Broad, Sidebottom, Swann, Tim Ambrose): they were blooded by Moores and in the case of Sidebottom and Swann owe the rebirth of their England careers to the former head coach.

Young guns (Broad, Luke Wright): the one-day England team-mates are very close off the field. Cook and Anderson also get on after becoming friends when summoned to join the senior England side in 2006.

Private people (Monty Panesar, Bell): keep themselves to themselves.

Everyone's mate (Swann): the likeable spinner is a soothing force.

All organisations have personality clashes and cliques, though. The best way to get over them is to be successful. If Strauss can lead England to a few victories, feuds will be forgotten.