Kevin Pietersen's Autobiography.

[Aidan11]

This is a good account.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/con ... 87701.html

Get with it Aidan, I posted that days ago. I now know how little attention my posts get, I'll have to get Piers Morgan to write them for me.

Ah I wondered if it had already been posted.

Like the ECB I sometimes have my head in the sand.

[Alviro Patterson]

I wish the ECB would sack Jade Dernbach.

That is an interesting name to mention. Time and time again he has often produced poor performances for England, yet still managed to remain in the side until recently. Was he a part of the so called bullying culture, or a victim? Did he rub shoulders with the top dogs in order to remain an integral part in limited overs cricket?

[Arthur Crabtree]

The style is a colloquial, rather paranoid stream of consciousness. He is willing to stretch a point in his favour (my hundred saved the Old Trafford Test). He interprets events one way only, without considering alternatives. It reminds me of a narrative voice over from film noir of a character who is watching himself as if another person, not sure of the reality, always trying to reassure himself.

He doesn't get on with Whitaker, because a relative of his was rude to his parents... Why was that? It's not right, surely. He doesn't know Downton, who holds Kevin's future in his hand. Who is he? KP starts at the meeting. Everyone is watching him. Why are these people here? Why are they making decisions about me?

Kevin is unsure and disorientated, like someone sent a little mad by the voices, the uncertainty, the criticism and a relentless insecurity.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Should have added, out of breath, like he's being chased. Like he's in a conspiracy thriller.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Gough has always been a mate of KP so it's natural he'd stick up for him.

One of them was best man for the other, can't remember which way round.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Pietersen on the drive time show on talk sport with Adrian Durham and Darren Gough from 4 this afternoon. Two ghastly individuals at the best of times but listening to them arse lick Pietersen for an hour would be too much to bear.

So an hour of KP listening to Adrian Durham slag off Arsenal? Doubt they will even get to this debate.

You're right, one of the daily slots they do is 'the daily arsenal' where durham slags off the club for about five minutes. Believe its been going on for two years now! Ridiculous.

The programme is bearable when one or other of them is on leave, the two of them together is painful. Its when they start tackling sports other than football that i find myself switching off. And when they have a go at politics it becomes embarrassing.

[Aidan11]

I can imagine Giles Clarke right now.

He's turned his desk on its side and both him and Paul Downtroddon are hiding behind it with several bottles of hard spirits and two glasses.

Clarke is saying "Don't worry this'll soon blow over. The real crisis will be if there is no more gin in the cupboard".

[Aidan11]

Guess who has finally c*ntributed to the debate

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/con ... MP=OTC-RSS

[Arthur Crabtree]

He's missed the point by several miles hasn't he. Surely the issue is whether KP is right. A bit Communist from Strauss there, that the individual is less than the state. I thought he was a Tory.

[braveneutral]

I'll wait for the paperback version and the inevitable "updated extra chapter".

It was all banter!

[Alviro Patterson]

Guess who has finally c*ntributed to the debate

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/con ... MP=OTC-RSS

He's right though, the real losers are the current England players and coaching staff.

KP isn't doing himself favours with his almighty high opinion and personal agenda. Maybe Strauss achieved longevity as England captain because of his success ratio and willingness to work with others. Maybe Flower is still employed by the ECB because of his track record as England coach (3 Ashes wins, a World T20 title and World No1 status in all three formats at some stage).

[Arthur Crabtree]

Quite a balanced Switch-hit on the subject. On Cricinfo.

[Arthur Crabtree]

KP isn't doing himself favours with his almighty high opinion and personal agenda. Maybe Strauss achieved longevity as England captain because of his success ratio and willingness to work with others. Maybe Flower is still employed by the ECB because of his track record as England coach (3 Ashes wins, a World T20 title and World No1 status in all three formats at some stage).

The alternative, that Kevin should just accept his treatment without dissent doesn't feel reasonable. Or even without being able to give his point of view. Arguably this may help the current England team. And he hasn't gone all that hard at Moores and Cook. I can't really see what harm his book is going to do them? Is criticising Whitaker, Flower, Downton and Clarke going to touch the 11 on the pitch?

Moores and Cook could try and learn from this. It wasn't just KP who felt let down. Lessons were not learned about the last two years of the Flower era. They were ignored. Issues with burn out, injury, mental issues, and perhaps bullying aren't going to go away.

[rich1uk]

Maybe Flower is still employed by the ECB because of his track record as England coach (3 Ashes wins, a World T20 title and World No1 status in all three formats at some stage).

not sure if this is right thread for this discussion but I get the impression flower was the right man and exactly what England needed when he took over but for a more established team with lots of experience and success under their belts whether his "alleged" levels of micro-management were what was best is a different question. the team dynamic changed , his methods didn't and you get the impression as an outsider the levels of micro-management actually increased, the leaked menus for the ashes tour being an example.

that's what the clash between flower/cook and KP ultimately came down to imo, a polar difference between total reliance on stats and pre-meditated plans to a more instinctive natural approach. watching yesterdays game between india and WI it was something both bob willis and Michael holding picked up on, the over-use of stats and analysis and players almost losing the ability to think for themselves , relinquishing the need to take responsibility for making their own decisions as everything is decided before they even take the field.

I remember a game earlier this year , a t20 where morgan was captaining and at the toss he was asked about whether he had concerns about a lack of power hitting and the ability to clear the rope, his answer was that 82% of matches are won by the team that hits the most 4s. it really worried me that he would even know a stat like that let alone use it immediately before the game to justify team selection. that mentality I think is a product of the flower regime and while I think stats and analysis have their uses I feel we have become far too dependent on them and lost a little bit of the essence of playing the game.

[Arthur Crabtree]

It has been quite the day it seems.

The day's not done until your story has been told bn. How did you get the book? Russian translation? KP your buddy?