The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Making_Splinters]

The whole text issue is a complete mess, the Daily Mail said the were offensive with out ever showing where this came from, the South Africans said they weren't and the ECB never sought to independently verify the content, surely if this was such a tipping point then the first thing you'd do is fond out exactly what was said by whom to whom.

Of course the main issue is actually that humour or "banter" as the South African's have termed it is highly subjective, having played in enough rugby clubs over the years I know full well that there are many things that are said with in a certain context that would be highly offensive out of that context, most people have little in jokes within a group that are never meant as anything but a slight jape that outside that group would be anything but. Of course with the complete in ability of anything that has been said behind closed doors to remain out of the public domain as far as KP is concerned how could any form of context be preserved?

In fact the strangest things about this entire Text farce is that the actual content has never been disclosed, or indeed has any actual picture of whom the text actually were sent to been cleared up. It's bizzare considering quite how much fuss has been made about the whole thing that no one seems to actually know the details.

[Gingerfinch]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England? I may be wrong but I'm sure he batted at eight for their youth/U21 side.

[Arthur Crabtree]

He might think that in the case of his personal friendships and communications, he hasn't a case to answer, Kim. That's how I'd feel. Being asked to sign a statement seems demeaning and very intrusive. If they want to make a case that KP should reveal his private communications, the ECB might at least have some proof that there is anything to be concerned about regarding them.

[Making_Splinters]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England?

A complete myth: In his first first class season in England he averaged over 50 with four tons, 6 fifties and a high score of over 200, in his second season he averaged over 60 with again 4 tons and a high score of 254 not out, in his third season again an average of over 50 with four tons, 11 fifties and yet another double ton. Quite how he was on the outside with performances like that is slightly baffling.

[Gingerfinch]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England?

A complete myth: In his first first class season in England he averaged over 50 with four tons, 6 fifties and a high score of over 200, in his second season he averaged over 60 with again 4 tons and a high score of 254 not out, in his third season again an average of over 50 with four tons, 11 fifties and yet another double ton. Quite how he was on the outside with performances like that is slightly baffling.

Must have been the racial equality selection process then. I remember Boucher being dropped for a bloke who kept like Edward Scissorhands!

[Aidan11]

ECB to KP: "My dad's bigger than your dad".

[D/L]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England? I may be wrong but I'm sure he batted at eight for their youth/U21 side.

He was a bit better than that at the point he decided that playing for England was his future, and even better when he got selected, iatw. It’s unlikely that CSA were unaware of his talent and potential.

[Kim]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England?

A complete myth: In his first first class season in England he averaged over 50 with four tons, 6 fifties and a high score of over 200, in his second season he averaged over 60 with again 4 tons and a high score of 254 not out, in his third season again an average of over 50 with four tons, 11 fifties and yet another double ton. Quite how he was on the outside with performances like that is slightly baffling.

Not really. His highest score in SA FC cricket was 61. In his last innings there he batted at 10. Im nor sure he represented SA at any youth level. His first trial in England was with Warwickshire - as a spinner.

[Gingerfinch]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England?

A complete myth: In his first first class season in England he averaged over 50 with four tons, 6 fifties and a high score of over 200, in his second season he averaged over 60 with again 4 tons and a high score of 254 not out, in his third season again an average of over 50 with four tons, 11 fifties and yet another double ton. Quite how he was on the outside with performances like that is slightly baffling.

Not really. His highest score in SA FC cricket was 61. In his last innings there he batted at 10. Im nor sure he represented SA at any youth level. His first trial in England was with Warwickshire - as a spinner.

That's what I thought. Must have enjoyed feeding on our county attacks.

[Making_Splinters]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England?

A complete myth: In his first first class season in England he averaged over 50 with four tons, 6 fifties and a high score of over 200, in his second season he averaged over 60 with again 4 tons and a high score of 254 not out, in his third season again an average of over 50 with four tons, 11 fifties and yet another double ton. Quite how he was on the outside with performances like that is slightly baffling.

Not really. His highest score in SA FC cricket was 61. In his last innings there he batted at 10.

Just a couple of months later he's batting four for the Warkshire seconds making 92, and a little over a year later he's tearing up the English domestic scene. How a player can go from being a number 10 batsman to clearly being an extraordinary talent in a matter of months is beyond strange.

[Gingerfinch]

...Again with CSA, he never had issues as he never played for SA. was never in contention...

To be fair to Pietersen on this point, it may be the fact he was never in contention that was the issue! He’s a very good cricketer. Why was he never in contention?

Wasn't KP an off spinner who could bat when he came to England? I may be wrong but I'm sure he batted at eight for their youth/U21 side.

He was a bit better than that at the point he decided that playing for England was his future, and even better when he got selected, iatw. It’s unlikely that CSA were unaware of his talent and potential.

Yes, he looked like a top player even before he played tests. One through the net for the saffa's. Maybe this is the reason population doesn't always count whwn comparing nations. As MS once said, it can be like a needle in a haystack.

[Making_Splinters]

The thing to consider Ginger is that in his first season for Notts KP played double the number of first class innings he'd played in all his previous seasons in South Africa and it wasn't a gradual shift from being a bit iffy to being very good but an instant switch, he left South Africa supposedly only good enough to bat 10 and turned up in England a top class player. I really don't know how you explain that dramatic change.

[D/L]

Let’s just say Pietersen may have considered he was not getting the same treatment that others of similar potential were receiving at the time. Rudolph and a number of others may also have thought the same.

The statement he had no issue at all with CSA seems rather hard to believe.

[Gingerfinch]

The thing to consider Ginger is that in his first season for Notts KP played double the number of first class innings he'd played in all his previous seasons in South Africa and it wasn't a gradual shift from being a bit iffy to being very good but an instant switch, he left South Africa supposedly only good enough to bat 10 and turned up in England a top class player. I really don't know how you explain that dramatic change.

Well, if he wasn't given a chance to bat in the middle order then he would have found it difficult to score runs. Surprising that nobody saw the potential though.

[Kim]

The thing to consider Ginger is that in his first season for Notts KP played double the number of first class innings he'd played in all his previous seasons in South Africa and it wasn't a gradual shift from being a bit iffy to being very good but an instant switch, he left South Africa supposedly only good enough to bat 10 and turned up in England a top class player. I really don't know how you explain that dramatic change.

The other thing that was remarkable was how quickly he inspired antipathy/adoration (for want of two better words) in people. Think it was first game of his second srasaon that Warwicks new Aussie O/S bowler, Clark, got KP out first ball. Youd have thought Bradman had nicked off from the crowd's reaction.

At Hove on Saturday when it was announced hed be dropped there was apparently a huge cheer.

Twas ever thus with Kevin.