The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[D/L]

How can one insincerely commit to playing all games?

You either do or you don't surely?

By changing one’s mind later, as one had changed it earlier, I would have thought.

If someone makes a decision then changes it in the light of new information then how is that insincere?

A player decides that they would rather pick and choose and are told that this will not be allowed to happen they are left with two choices either none or all, In line with the hiring and firing analogy really.

More in the light of realising (or having it pointed out) that one had behaved rather stupidly, than in the light of new information, probably.

Perhaps changing one’s mind, so completely and so quickly, could be seen as a tendency to insincerity? The ECB would do well to bear that in mind in any further discussions.

[D/L]

to be honest the captain has as much say in this at the moment as the man on the moon, and cooks wishes should be listened to but ultimately its people on a higher pay grade (Flower and Morris) that will make the initial assesment as to what happens.

In the knowledge that the other ten players in the team would have no problem with bringing Pietersen back, presumably.

[D/L]

Seems the South Africans may have been playing things a little more than previously thought.

Which if this is the casethey lose a lot of the respect that I had for them, hat they had to resort to this type of tactic to win a series, speaks volumnes about the levels that people will stoop in regards to winning, I though cricket was above this type of thing.

It seems the only thing we know for certain about the messages sent is that Pietersen was unwilling to deny the nature of those referring to at least one person in the England camp. The inference, and a very reasonable one therefore, is that they were of a seriously derogatory nature.

I don’t really think the South Africans needed to do this to win the series. They seemed quite capable of doing that without making any mischief. Just to make sure, perhaps?

[Making_Splinters]

to be honest the captain has as much say in this at the moment as the man on the moon, and cooks wishes should be listened to but ultimately its people on a higher pay grade (Flower and Morris) that will make the initial assesment as to what happens.

In the knowledge that the other ten players in the team would have no problem with bringing Pietersen back, presumably.

I'd have thought if the players are in support of the captain and coach they'd have to respect the decisions made by them and their superiors with out question.

[Kim]

Ok, so if we say his IPL contract is $700,000/year, and his ECB contract (whether he plays or not) is worth the same $700,000/year.So he loses around $350,000/year from the IPL for playing half the time, That means his income with a central contract is ~1.5Million/annum. now if he loses his ECb contract and has to rely on IPL + county contract, his income will be $700,000 + county lets be generous and say he gets $200,000 from a county.

He loses 70K from the IPL to pay the county that has his contact (standard 10% levi for any English player in the IPL), so thats (700,000-70,000)+200,000, or US$830,000. that is ~45% lower than his current income. So to earn the same as he has under a central contract has to either increase his IPL contract value, or make up that 45% from other leagues around the world.

This doesnt take into account the loss of his endorsements, sponsorships and media rights that he gets from his central contract.

But we cant say that. His IPL contract is worth 168,00 pounds a week. His central contract 450,000 pounds a year. Or to put it another way a full IPL is worth 1.3 million to him (with no levy deducted if he goes freelance), his current IPL playing time minus the levy (which is 1% per day) plus ECB is worth 848,000. Hes over 450k down as its stands. Thats why hes so antsy about it.

He already has the Big Bash offer and as for endorsements Id be willing to bet a full IPL and the status that brings in India would earn him more than he gets now.

Basically a central contract plus a bit of IPL v a full IPL is a no brainer. Play the IPL! The only question is whether losing his ECB deal affects his brand value. At this stage of his career Id suggest not.

[ddb]

His IPL contract is 2 Million dollars OSY and he may be getting some sweeteners like Gayle.

[D/L]

to be honest the captain has as much say in this at the moment as the man on the moon, and cooks wishes should be listened to but ultimately its people on a higher pay grade (Flower and Morris) that will make the initial assesment as to what happens.

In the knowledge that the other ten players in the team would have no problem with bringing Pietersen back, presumably.

I'd have thought if the players are in support of the captain and coach they'd have to respect the decisions made by them and their superiors with out question.

I think (and hope) they’d take a rather more pragmatic, and less authoritarian, approach than trying to enforce acceptance. It would be very unlikely to succeed.

[meninblue]

KP has to make his mind. How much is enough, which tournaments he has to play. It's his decision and it has to be respected. However, players should also respect ECB's decisions in that case. It cannot be one way.

[Kim]

KP has to make his mind. How much is enough, which tournaments he has to play. It's his decision and it has to be respected. However, players should also respect ECB's decisions in that case. It cannot be one way.

Think the bigger decision is whats really important to him at this stage. And thats not easy at his age.

[OffStumpYorker]

His IPL contract is 2 Million dollars OSY and he may be getting some sweeteners like Gayle.

My understand that that was over 3 years not per year.

[OffStumpYorker]

KP has to make his mind. How much is enough, which tournaments he has to play. It's his decision and it has to be respected. However, players should also respect ECB's decisions in that case. It cannot be one way.

I agree, but the consequence is that he looses his right to be automatically selected for international duty, thus looses his central contract, which has a financial implication.

[Arthur Crabtree]

We'll end up with what KP initially wanted. He'll play for England where games clash with IPL. And he'll be rested from some ODI series. Of course, if someone nails his place, then that's too bad. If he chooses to play IPL ahead of England (which I don't think he now wants, if he ever did, and was only suggested in a leak) then he shouldn't play for England at all. He's within his rights to retire from limited over internationals, in order to play more IPL.

Personally I don't think tying ODIs and T20s together is good for older, long serving players who might reasonably want to cut back on some international cricket. But I can't see this changing. If i were to guess, I'd say that defending this contract has been the instigator of the ECBs behaviour all summer.

[OffStumpYorker]

We'll end up with what KP initially wanted. He'll play for England where games clash with IPL. And he'll be rested from some ODI series. Of course, if someone nails his place, then that's too bad. If he chooses to play IPL ahead of England (which I don't think he now wants, if he ever did, and was only suggested in a leak) then he shouldn't play for England at all. He's within his rights to retire from limited over internationals, in order to play more IPL.

Personally I don't think tying ODIs and T20s together is good for older, long serving players who might reasonably want to cut back on some international cricket. But I can't see this changing. If i were to guess, I'd say that defending this contract has been the instigator of the ECBs behaviour all summer.

But retiring from ODI's will not mean playing more IPL as the Issue is that the IPL overlaps with Tests. so he would effectively be selecting IPL over Tests if this were to happen.

[meninblue]

KP has to make his mind. How much is enough, which tournaments he has to play. It's his decision and it has to be respected. However, players should also respect ECB's decisions in that case. It cannot be one way.

Think the bigger decision is whats really important to him at this stage. And thats not easy at his age.

Well, i came to know over CMS that his contract is due for renewal this September. So we shall know on basis if he signs it or not.

[hopeforthebest]

As I said earlier I believe it will be Flower who well make the final decision. If he is told he must accept KP back in the squad against his better judgement, Strauss may well have a ready made partner on the golf course.