The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Dimi]

Pringle got the standard ECB leak this time then. Money's on Booth or one of the other Mail writers probably tomorrow, just in time to 'cast a shadow' over the 2nd ODI.

[shankycricket]

Pringle got the standard ECB leak this time then. Money's on Booth or one of the other Mail writers probably tomorrow, just in time to 'cast a shadow' over the 2nd ODI.

[yorker_129-7]

If I were Andrew Strauss I'd be in no hurry either. The man is an absolute liability and one good knock in 20 shouldn't excuse what he's done. If KP refuses to grow up then he needs to be dispensed with. Immediately and permanently.

[shankycricket]

If I were Andrew Strauss I'd be in no hurry either. The man is an absolute liability and one good knock in 20 shouldn't excuse what he's done. If KP refuses to grow up then he needs to be dispensed with. Immediately and permanently.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ;type=year

[yorker_129-7]

If I were Andrew Strauss I'd be in no hurry either. The man is an absolute liability and one good knock in 20 shouldn't excuse what he's done. If KP refuses to grow up then he needs to be dispensed with. Immediately and permanently.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ;type=year

Thank you, that proves he's not been so far ahead of the others as to warrant all the extra time and effort it takes just to keep a lid on him. It was always going to end in tears, get him cried out and pack him off to whatever T20 league he wants to play in. And if he wants to throw his toys out the pram with them, let him.

[OffStumpYorker]

First, there were rumours that KP told the South Africans to go around the wicket to Strauss even though they have been doing it for the last 3 series. And now KP is bein accused of criticising a player, whom he was encouraging and guiding on the field during their partnership? You just couldn't make it up. The ECB could come up with better excuses tbh because this is childish (if it wasn't already).

FFS shanks, this had nothing to do with the ECB, this is turning into a media campaign by those writers that have an axe to grind with KP, and they are loving every minute of it.

So if KP criticised Taylor "openly", how did Strauss come to know about it only today?

Strauss was probably already aware of it, its just the press having another dig trying to keep the story going, and justify thier luncheon expenses, the fact that it was released on the day KP and Strauss were supposed to have talks is not a coincidence, and the nub of the incidence seems to be that KP was walking off chatting to SA players rather than Taylor (according to the press that is) and so an unnamed 'senior' player told KP that he should have been talking to taylor.

But this isnt the first time I've seen players chat to the opposition when walking off, while ignoring thier own player until they got to the steps.

[OffStumpYorker]

If I were Andrew Strauss I'd be in no hurry either. The man is an absolute liability and one good knock in 20 shouldn't excuse what he's done. If KP refuses to grow up then he needs to be dispensed with. Immediately and permanently.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ;type=year

Again with the selective stats shanks, as yorker says, in terms of runs scored then KP isnt that far ahead of anyone else in the top 4, with the run differential being 28 between him and the others. in comparisson with the other 6 permenant members of the top 7 around 200 runs better.

As I said in my last email, this is turning into a media witch hunt and an attempt to ensure that KP never plays for england again.

While I dislike the way KP has behaved over the last 12 months, and believe that both the team and he need a break from each other, I dont like the witch hunt thats going on in the media.

[meninblue]

It is often observed that a players skills decreases when he is out of international cricket competition for couple of years. Andrew Symmonds was such a good ODI and T20 cricketer. He was dropped form international team and then he later on failed to even perform in the last IPL. Even Murali is struggling nowadays. Whereas the lesser cricketers start getting exposure and habit of facing international competitions and they outshine the retired cricketers. So it will be important for KP to retain his place in international level. He might do good in domestic tournaments like Ramprakash, Trescothick and other T20 tournaments, but then after few years of not facing international competition his performance might start to drop and then its even difficult to perform in domestic tournament in which there are quite a few international opponents as well.

Also given that he is a specialist batsman aged 32 and fit as a fiddle , he definitely has lot of international cricket left in him. It would be important for him to ensure that he convinces that he can be a team player henceforth in a lot of other aspects (Sending proper SMS only/Adjusting with coach/captain and other team members). Only time will tell . Even for success in his T20 aspirations he will need to be playing international opponents.

[greyblazer]

The witch hunt continues Here I was thinking KP helped Taylor through his debut test. Of course Pringle has to mention 'Taylor, who is just 5ft 4in tall'. Now that looks a lot worse than KP helping out Taylor through his innings

[idlebrain]

If I were Andrew Strauss I'd be in no hurry either. The man is an absolute liability and one good knock in 20 shouldn't excuse what he's done. If KP refuses to grow up then he needs to be dispensed with. Immediately and permanently.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ;type=year

Again with the selective stats shanks, as yorker says, in terms of runs scored then KP isnt that far ahead of anyone else in the top 4, with the run differential being 28 between him and the others. in comparisson with the other 6 permenant members of the top 7 around 200 runs better.

As I said in my last email, this is turning into a media witch hunt and an attempt to ensure that KP never plays for england again.

While I dislike the way KP has behaved over the last 12 months, and believe that both the team and he need a break from each other, I dont like the witch hunt thats going on in the media.

Runs wise there is not much difference but look at the strike rates : KP's is almost 70 and the next best among the top 4 is 45. That I shows what an impact player he is a-la Sehwag!!!

[meninblue]

I feel that KP's signing with ESPN as television presenter will have an impact on the discussions.

[shankycricket]

If I were Andrew Strauss I'd be in no hurry either. The man is an absolute liability and one good knock in 20 shouldn't excuse what he's done. If KP refuses to grow up then he needs to be dispensed with. Immediately and permanently.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ;type=year

Again with the selective stats shanks, as yorker says, in terms of runs scored then KP isnt that far ahead of anyone else in the top 4, with the run differential being 28 between him and the others. in comparisson with the other 6 permenant members of the top 7 around 200 runs better.

As I said in my last email, this is turning into a media witch hunt and an attempt to ensure that KP never plays for england again.

While I dislike the way KP has behaved over the last 12 months, and believe that both the team and he need a break from each other, I dont like the witch hunt thats going on in the media.

Selective stats? I merely used it to prove how ridiculous the "one good innings in 20" claim was.

[Dilbert]

If I were Andrew Strauss I'd be in no hurry either. The man is an absolute liability and one good knock in 20 shouldn't excuse what he's done. If KP refuses to grow up then he needs to be dispensed with. Immediately and permanently.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ;type=year

Thank you, that proves he's not been so far ahead of the others as to warrant all the extra time and effort it takes just to keep a lid on him. It was always going to end in tears, get him cried out and pack him off to whatever T20 league he wants to play in. And if he wants to throw his toys out the pram with them, let him.

Well, if one good knock in 20 can get you ahead of your whole team, doesnt it just show how pathetic the rest of them are. And I was hearing from the anti-KP brigade(I use this term loosely for lack of a better term) how much the "other batsmen" - Cook, Bell, Trott etc have helped England win and go to No#1 spot. Something wrong there innit?

Cmon guys, whatever he did off the field can be debated, but surely you can acnowledge his onfield performances?

[yorker_129-7]

Given that for the majority of Englands rise to the top (widely accepted as being the Andrew Strauss era) Pietersen was bang out of form and on more than one occasion was on the verge of being axed from the team on performance alone it shows how comparatively little impact he had. Cook and Trott have been the bedrock of Englands recent successes, which is why their failure against South Africa exposed the batting line-up so much. Pietersen up until about 6 months ago was performing maybe once a series, if that.

[D/L]

So far, Pietersen’s commentary deal is a non-story. The only thing that can prevent him commentating is an objection from the ICC. If that were to happen, given recent events, many would understand.

To describe this storm in a teacup as a continuation of a witch-hunt is fanciful. Some of Pietersen sympathisers seem to be able to find offence in any situation he blunders into where, in fact, none exists.

Personally, re Pietersen commentating, I reckon the chances of his saying something sensible would be about the same as his doing something sensible.