The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Dilbert]

So lets look at this event by event

1] KP criticises Nick Knight, is fined by ECB
Andersen criticises MV, no action taken.

Pietersen was already on a warning following his tweet about his exclusion from the ODI team. Accidental or not, he should have been more careful. Shouldn't have been fined though.
Anderson's comments have only just come out. Whilst I don't agree with player auto-biographies, at least he explain why he feels the way he does, arguably it is constructive criticism, rather than just made a crass comment on Twitter.

So basically you agree KP shouldnt have been fined, and as we see Andersen also hasnt been fined I guess you will agree there are double standards here. The mode of criticism doesnt matter, should people only feel insulted if its through twitter but should take it as "constructive criticism" if done through a bio? Whats constructive about calling someone useless in your book?

2] KP texts something (no one still know what exactly it was, as Flower himself admitted he did not know the content) to his friends in SA team, he is banned
Swann calls Samit mediocre fat spinner and is let off
Swann says something less than complimentary about KP in his bio and thats just an honest opinion

Swann was disciplined internally. England wanted the whole texting situation to be sorted out internally but Pietersen dallied and refused to clarify when given the opportunity. If he had sorted it instead of mucking about with Morgan and his agents, less leaks may have occurred.
As mentioned by someone else, KP also called Samit "unfit and fat and lazy" and nothing came of it.

Was Swann first banned and then asked to clarify? Swanns comments were very immature, and out in the open. KPs texts were not seen by anyone in Eng camp, so it was all speculation. Ideally KP should have been disciplined internally and Swann banned until he apologised

3] KP accuses Broad, Swann and Andersen behind a parody twitter account. Subsequently that is owned up by some county player who is room mates with Broad. And half the Eng team follow the parody account within an hour of its creation. Circumstantial evidence, or rather for a person who is being parodied, this all points to his team mates ridiculing him. ECB ignores this.
KP texts something (no one still know what exactly it was, as Flower himself admitted he did not know the content) to his friends in SA team, he is banned. Now the ECB, Flower or anyone else did not have proof that this even happened. But KP was guilty until proven innocent. Also many posters dont acknowledge this as KPs honest opinion, when they feel that Swanns criticism of KPs captaincy was exactly that.

No evidence that Anderson, Swann or Broad were involved. Swann and Broad have both publicly denied knowledge - Broad via a statement, Swann via Twitter. Pietersen was given the option to do the same, i.e. put it in writing that he didn't send anything. He chose not to. If he had done so, he would have been trusted (or at least hope he would have).

You say no evidence that Anderson, Swann or Broad were involved. What evidence was there of KPs texts? Didnt the SA camp say they were just banter? What KP did not do doesnt matter, the whole point being that he was held guilty without proof.

[D/L]

...You say no evidence that Anderson, Swann or Broad were involved. What evidence was there of KPs texts? Didnt the SA camp say they were just banter? What KP did not do doesnt matter, the whole point being that he was held guilty without proof.

The fact that Pietersen denied neither the existence nor the nature of the texts, that they were widely reported in the media as to their offensiveness and that these reports received no challenge should be ample evidence for anyone with any ability to work things out for themselves.

[Gingerfinch]

If I'd been accused of murder and hadn't done it, I'd probably say............I haven't done it

[hopeforthebest]

If I'd been accused of murder and hadn't done it, I'd probably say............I haven't done it

Not if you had a strong fetish for prison life.

[Dilbert]

...You say no evidence that Anderson, Swann or Broad were involved. What evidence was there of KPs texts? Didnt the SA camp say they were just banter? What KP did not do doesnt matter, the whole point being that he was held guilty without proof.

The fact that Pietersen denied neither the existence nor the nature of the texts, that they were widely reported in the media as to their offensiveness and that these reports received no challenge should be ample evidence for anyone with any ability to work things out for themselves.

You keep missing the point D/L.
He never agreed they were offensive
No one could prove they were offensive
SA camp said they were mere banter.

So generally, he should be innocent until proven guilty. Also, I am not saying he should not be punished, but then ECB did not act against Broad and company, even that county player, without proof. Which was right. So they should have done the same here. No one has still proved the texts were offensive. I believe the newspaper themselves later admitted its not as originally claimed. And KP apologised for sending texts. Should be end of story really.

[D/L]

...You say no evidence that Anderson, Swann or Broad were involved. What evidence was there of KPs texts? Didnt the SA camp say they were just banter? What KP did not do doesnt matter, the whole point being that he was held guilty without proof.

The fact that Pietersen denied neither the existence nor the nature of the texts, that they were widely reported in the media as to their offensiveness and that these reports received no challenge should be ample evidence for anyone with any ability to work things out for themselves.

You keep missing the point D/L.
He never agreed they were offensive
No one could prove they were offensive
SA camp said they were mere banter.

So generally, he should be innocent until proven guilty. Also, I am not saying he should not be punished, but then ECB did not act against Broad and company, even that county player, without proof. Which was right. So they should have done the same here. No one has still proved the texts were offensive. I believe the newspaper themselves later admitted its not as originally claimed. And KP apologised for sending texts. Should be end of story really.

Au contraire, Dilbert, it is you who keep missing the point. In fact, you seem to be missing it by light years and it eventually becomes very tiresome to have to keep repeating it.

However, I will make one more attempt before giving up all hope that the penny may eventually drop.

Pietersen did not deny sending texts to the South African camp.
Pietersen did not deny the texts would have been seen as offensive by their subjects.
The offensiveness of the texts was widely reported in the media.
The reporting was not challenged by the Pietersen camp.
The media made no retraction of their reporting of the offensive nature of the texts.

It is entirely reasonable to believe, therefore, that Pietersen made snide comments about his colleagues behind their backs. Unlike other criticisms made by players on social media, in books etc., they were not intended for publication.

As already stated, anyone who still claims that the Pietersen texts, offensive in nature and intended not to be divulged, are equivalent to open criticism, intended for publication, is either disingenuous or just plain stupid.

[greyblazer]

About KP and all that.

https://twitter.com/patmurphybbc

It seems like Swann, Jimmy and Broad don't want him so no place.

[greyblazer]

I wrote an article today on KP

http://greyblazerr.blogspot.in/2012/09/ ... ersen.html

It seems like there is good news regarding those talks with Cook, AS, Flower and co. Of course the 2nd step of convincing those 3 senior players will be tougher.

[from_the_stands]

I reckon if KP makes a comeback ino the England side, it will be the greatest comeback since JC.

[greyblazer]

Positive outcome out of those talks between KP and Cook, Strauss, Flower and co.

KP still talks with Bops, Morgs and even Finn on twitter. I don't think Prior will be against him.

Those 3 senior players? I can only say cricket is not about whether someone hates the other person in the dressing room. It is played on a cricket ground.

[Making_Splinters]

Personally I think if we've got to the stage where the Coach and Captain are happy for a player to be part of the team then any unhappy elements should be simply told to toe the line unless they are to be seen as disaffected and therefore no longer capable of playing under the banner of Team Unity.

I don't mind a player being dropped for being a prat etc, but a player being left out because of dressing room politics is starting to sound a little too much like Pakistan a couple of years ago for my liking.

[greyblazer]

From the looks of it the talks between KP and others (coach and captain) were positive. I don't know what new twist some journalists will give it now.

[SaintPowelly]

Positive outcome out of those talks between KP and Cook, Strauss, Flower and co.

KP still talks with Bops, Morgs and even Finn on twitter. I don't think Prior will be against him.

Those 3 senior players? I can only say cricket is not about whether someone hates the other person in the dressing room. It is played on a cricket ground.

Bopara,Morgan and Finn vs 3 senior players ( believed to be Swann,Anderson and Broad ) whos opinion is more valid ?

[Making_Splinters]

Positive outcome out of those talks between KP and Cook, Strauss, Flower and co.

KP still talks with Bops, Morgs and even Finn on twitter. I don't think Prior will be against him.

Those 3 senior players? I can only say cricket is not about whether someone hates the other person in the dressing room. It is played on a cricket ground.

Bopara,Morgan and Finn vs 3 senior players ( believed to be Swann,Anderson and Broad ) whos opinion is more valid ?

No one's surely - it's all about mutual respect and team ethos remember, not one set of players over another.

[hopeforthebest]

Bopara is probably grateful to find anyone who's still willing to talk to him after his recent performances for England.