The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[greyblazer]

KP out of CT too! Hopefully he can be fit for the Ashes.

[Aidan11]

It's becoming tense now.

There will be a game this summer called "Will he, won't he?"

[braveneutral]

This thread is never going to go away.

[mikesiva]

This thread is never going to go away.

Damn right!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/con ... 75291.html

'Strauss has now admitted that he suspected "treachery" as the affair so dominated the summer and ensured that what should have been a celebration of Strauss' 100th Test at Lord's instead became a frustrated climax to his career. He retired "tired and generally hacked off with life". In his new autobiography, Driving Ambition, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail, Strauss tells of how he took Pietersen aside at a golf day ahead of the South Africa series to discuss his state of mind. "I had heard some troubling rumours he might be preparing to separate himself from English cricket after a further attempt to get the ECB to yield ground had failed," he writes. "At a golf day a few days before the first Test, I took him to one side to ask what was going on. It was clear he was far from happy. I challenged him to think about his legacy and the goals he wanted to reach with the rest of his career. Unfortunately, we were interrupted and it is fair to say that I did not know at the time quite how close he was to the edge."'

[hopeforthebest]

I wondered who would be the one to resurrect this thread when surely a better subject would be about Strauss's decision to write this book so soon after his retirement and whether this decision should ensure that his hopes to take over from Hugh Morris are completely dashed.

[D/L]

It's not surprising that some won't welcome a reminder of how badly their hero behaved, but Strauss's view of Pietersen's actions, and his account of their effects on the team, deserve to be heard.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Strauss exhumed this one just before the Ashes, and again afterwards. Hopefully this is it now.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Strauss never struck me as someone with an interesting story to tell.

The press followed the ECB line at the time. The only alternative view will come from KP, and he'll have to wait until he retires.

[KipperJohn]

The title of this thread is now very ironic - KP has not retired from any form of cricket and Strauss has retired from all forms of cricket.

Make of that what you will.

[KipperJohn]

I posted after Kim - another time warp.

[hopeforthebest]

I wondered who would be the one to resurrect this thread when surely a better subject would be about Strauss's decision to write this book so soon after his retirement and whether this decision should ensure that his hopes to take over from Hugh Morris are completely dashed.

Well he definitely wouldn't have been able to release an autobiography whilst serving as Morris's replacement, so it was either do it now, whilst memories are fresher, or in who knows how many years. Or not do it at all, but that is not an option for retiring big-name sportsmen.

Apparently he's torn between becoming a Tory MP or taking over from Hugh Morris.

[Kim]

Strauss exhumed this one just before the Ashes, and again afterwards. Hopefully this is it now.

Doesn't add much does it? Todays second extract is no better. Looks like Matt Priors recent book - one to avoid.

Im in a time warp with a twist. Site wont allow me to make new posts (*wild applause from other posters*) - though I can post by adding to (editing ) old posts

[m@tt]

I wondered who would be the one to resurrect this thread when surely a better subject would be about Strauss's decision to write this book so soon after his retirement and whether this decision should ensure that his hopes to take over from Hugh Morris are completely dashed.

Well he definitely wouldn't have been able to release an autobiography whilst serving as Morris's replacement, so it was either do it now, whilst memories are fresher, or in who knows how many years. Or not do it at all, but that is not an option for retiring big-name sportsmen.

[greyblazer]

We know Strauss wants to sell his book

[D/L]

To be fair, Strauss says nothing anyone looking objectively at the affair at the time it happened wouldn’t have been able to deduce. There seems to be nothing exaggerated here to promote sales of his book and, of course, Pietersen’s poor behaviour must have had a destabilising effect.