Kevin Pietersen has been accused of behaving like a 'spoilt child' by former England opener Geoff Boycott.

Pietersen came in for criticism for throwing his wicket away with an ill-judged sweep shot in the first innings of the drawn first Ashes Test against Australia in Cardiff, and Boycott fears that if England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower do not confront Pietersen he will continue to make "stupid mistakes".

"My concern is that there is no one in the England set up who will go up to Pietersen and tell him that this is not good enough," Boycott told the Daily Telegraph. "Pietersen is like a spoilt child, the family favourite who can get away with anything because he is the golden boy."

He added: "Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower are both quiet men and frankly I do not think they have got the courage.

"Until someone takes the trouble to discipline him he will keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over again."