Hear hear.
Agree with all of that.
I think the fact there isn’t even a coherent case against him of damning incidents tells its own story. He’s not liked, which is fair enough, but not being able to tolerate him is pure wankery.
Regardless of his attitude or behaviour @braz83 , has his form recently been anywhere good enough to make any Test teams? Undoubtedly a brilliant player in his early days but his form over the past 3 years has been average at best. He won’t be a massive loss to that England team.
Nobody in the England team could do anything remotely like what he did at Headingley against the Saffers and in Mumbai. Both within the last 18 months, and two of the best innings I can remember in all of Test cricket in that time span. He was close enough to being their best batsman in the last series, though that was obviously a very low bar. They’ll nearly have to bring Morgan back into the Test team now, because they will need somebody that can force the pace a bit in the middle order. He’s a massive loss for them.
Very good point about Morgan, they would have to bring him into the test team now.
This is the line in the sand moment. Giles comes in now as Flowers replacement and they revamp the team an have a nw “ethic” whatever the fuck that means. The clique wins in other words.
I know someone who knows kp who says that basically he is harmless but he is as thick as fuck. She used work with him a bit.
Can’t get the exact link now but Rachel Cooke’s interview with him in The Guardian from 2006 was doing the rounds earlier. I got the same impression. It’s worth a search on their site.
He did a big interview with Flintoff before the summer Ashes. Can still get it on the five live archive.
That’s pretty much the impression I’ve always had of him.
England will not prosper with Cook as captain. He’s just not officer class. The whole thing is just too depressing for words.
Test action tomorrow with the first test getting under way between New Zealand and India in Auckland. India were dismal in the ODI’s so New Zealand will be fancying their chances of winning the test series as well. I see Jesse Ryder is in the squad after his near death experience last year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/5lspecials
On this page you can find the KP interview. Flintoff’s Ashes legends from 2nd July
I think England are making a mistake dropping KP. The failure in Australia was a collective batting failure. Pietersen is a destructive batsman when he gets going. But batting at 4 you would be hoping to be able to build on a platform, like Clarke could do. But in Oz this time, England were shit every time KP came in to bat. And he was unable to adjust his game to the game situation. “it’s the way I play”. That was a lack of intelligence on his part and it must have driven his team mates mad. But you need a couple of mavericks in a team. Also true however the KP loves his stats and plays for himself. I wonder how much of his form was affected by that friend of his who died just before the series?
I said at the time of Cook’s appointment that it was a mistake or that it was too soon. He has no captaincy experience. A bit wooden, great if you have 500 odd to defend but not so good with 250. The E&W set up is overly programmed and bland. I expect Giles will get the manager job, I dont think he has earned it. Cook could be on his bike after the summer.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/story/716589.html
Cricinfo’s main reporter on England has written a cracking piece on Pietersen. Reaches its crescendo with this paragraph:
England cricket is the poorer for the absence of players such as Gower and Pietersen. It will be less colourful, less entertaining and less competitive. But in England the greater sin is to be seen to give you wicket away with a loose stroke rather than leaving a straight delivery and allowing it to hit your stumps. Failure is accepted so long as it is not accompanied by flair. Genius is doubted and distrusted and, in England, you are forgiven for turning you back and going on a rebel tour - Gooch, Gatting, Graveney et al - but not for rocking the boat. In England, success has been a brief interlude in a general drama of failure.
The Cat and Vaughan were on 5 live discussing the whole debacle tonight. Expect there will be a podcast. Vaughan reckons that E&W should beg Gary Kirsten to take the job.
Dhoni has won the toss in Auckland and has put NZ in. Start delayed by 15 mins. Must be a right greentop if India are choosing to bowl first on it. Tests in NZ are on at a good time for catching the first session before going to bed.
He’s far and away the most obvious choice, but he walked away from the Saffer job because he has a young family. Earns a shitload coaching for a couple of months in the IPL instead now. Hard to see how England could lure him. I’d suppose there’s always the incentive of providing the learning experience of finding a way to win without being able to pick your best player.
A new coach should have freedom to pick who he wants. That’s why it looks like Giles is going to get the job, seeing as he is one of the team that has retired KP.
This is as bad as Cregan dropping Iron Mike.
What do the Aussies reckon on this Fitzy?
Ah here, lets not lose the run of ourselves Balbec, one is a saffer losing his place on the english cricket team, the other was a matter of pure life and death.