KP plays down spat in the nets.

Maybe this series can be more fiery than the Aus/India one.

England have dismissed a disagreement between themselves and India as the two sides practised in the build-up to Friday's opening match of the one-day series.


The tourists were annoyed when a ball was hit from the Indian nets into their net area, narrowly missing batting coach Andy Flower as he supervised the session at the Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground.


All-rounder Andrew Flintoff walked over to the Indian squad and remonstrated with bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad before England coach Peter Moores walked over, shook counterpart Gary Kirsten by the hand and discussed the issue further.


But captain Kevin Pietersen, who was batting in the nets at the time of the incident and also clipped a switch-hit shot into the India nets, played down the incident.


"I haven't got a clue what happened because I was batting at the time," he explained. "I heard something was going on but I was concentrating on my batting.


"I don't think too much needs to be read into it - if a guy is practising his shots, he's practising his shots, so there's nothing to read into it."


India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also shrugged off the disagreement, claiming: "There are big hitters on both the sides and I believe that was the reason why the ball kept flying around - there is no problem."


Thursday's incident followed a bad-tempered Test series between the two countries in England in 2007, but Pietersen insists there is no animosity between the sides as they prepare for the start of the seven-match series.


"I think India plays its cricket tough, we play our cricket tough as do Australia and South Africa - nations play with pride and passion, which is fantastic," he said.


"It's lovely to come to India. We had a remarkable crowd outside our hotel when we arrived last night and they'd been there since 10.00 in the morning - it gives the guys a buzz and they love India.


"Cricket is a religion out here and they play passionate cricket and that's why we're here - to test ourselves in difficult conditions."