The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[sussexpob]

He is lucky Paxman never interviewed him.

Not that I ever did listen to him, but it is clear what he meant, he has just made himself every single bit the idiot we know he is with trying to go back on it. Obviously this was a leak that Flower or the ECB thought better of so they have sent Selvey down the river hoping this issue can be buried by the hack taking the flack.

You Norwegians Love conspiracies and see them everywhere.

Casting my mind back to Selvey's rather bizzare arugments over what did and did not consitute a leak during the KP text saga, I'd not be entirely suprised if there was some truth in Sussex's view of things.

There are only two possibilities.........

(a) Flower or someone in the ECB leaked something and the desired effect has not worked, leading to a retraction and Selvey bumbling on about looking like a div....

(b) Selvey's journalistic integrity has gone

[Arthur Crabtree]

If Selvey went on cricinfo after being requested to talk about his cricketing experiences, and the interviewer took the opportunity to pump him about the KP article, then the charitable questioning seems reasonable.

If Selvey went on cricinfo, where his old colleague David Hopps now works, to wriggle out of his previous article, away from the grilling he would have got from the readers of his paper, then the interviewer maybe let him get away too easily.

What I'd like to come out of this is for Selvey to come clean about how the ECB does its business.

[KipperJohn]

Rather reminds one of a bunch of bankers...

[Alviro Patterson]

Here's the story:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/conte ... 11471.html

Also, Selvey says this:

"You have to then factor in what is going to happen with this IPL auction that is coming up, because he hasn't had his contract renewed with the Delhi Daredevils, has he? The next round of auction has three-year contracts. I don't think they will pay big money for someone who will play only half the time. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem this season, but next season - after World Cup in 2015, England have a Test tour in the Caribbean in April-May, which is during the IPL season. That is the series that precedes the next Ashes series. England would say, "Will you go and play IPL when we are building for the Ashes?" You can see how that can become an issue and we will find out about that in the middle of next month, when the auction is. All these things have to be taken into consideration when you are looking into the future. It is not just Kevin Pietersen who is under scrutiny, everybody is under scrutiny. I suppose in his case, he is more likely to be under scrutiny, because of the nature of his other commitments and his age."

Does Selvey have a copy of the fixtures for the England Test tour of the Caribbean in 2015, because I don't....

How does he know for sure that the Tests will be played in April and May? I just can't see the WICB scheduling Tests to clash with the IPL, because that would spell trouble, not just with Gayle, but also with Narine, who is now in the Test team. Sammy is now focussing on his IPL career too, as is Samuels.

Future Tours Calendar has a 3 match test series between England and West Indies pencilled in straight after the World Cup.

http://static.icc-cricket.com/ugc/docum ... 10_618.pdf

[mikesiva]

I still don't see the Test series taking place in April AND May....

I expect a short Test series at best, taking place only in the month of April, allowing the IPL players (Gayle, Narine, Samuels and KP) to play for their countries in April, while the whole month of May is given to them to enjoy their IPL. That way, the IPL players only miss half of the season, and are available to play the other half. That's the way the Windies did it in 2012, when Australia toured and played three Tests:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/s ... 40167.html

England are scheduled to play three Tests too, according to the FTP. If that's the way the WICB schedule it, I don't expect it to be a problem for KP....

[D/L]

...Obviously this was a leak that Flower or the ECB thought better of so they have sent Selvey down the river hoping this issue can be buried by the hack taking the flack.

Why "obviously"? Can't journalists come up with rubbish all on their own? Scyld Berry does.

[D/L]

He is lucky Paxman never interviewed him.

Not that I ever did listen to him, but it is clear what he meant, he has just made himself every single bit the idiot we know he is with trying to go back on it. Obviously this was a leak that Flower or the ECB thought better of so they have sent Selvey down the river hoping this issue can be buried by the hack taking the flack.

You Norwegians Love conspiracies and see them everywhere.

Casting my mind back to Selvey's rather bizzare arugments over what did and did not consitute a leak during the KP text saga, I'd not be entirely suprised if there was some truth in Sussex's view of things.

There are only two possibilities.........

(a) Flower or someone in the ECB leaked something and the desired effect has not worked, leading to a retraction and Selvey bumbling on about looking like a div....

(b) Selvey's journalistic integrity has gone

It's almost certainly b) then, though I wouldn't put it as strongly as that.

"Journalistic integrity" is often seen as an oxymoron and we shouldn't be too surprised if a journalist simply makes things up with the hope that eventually he may be able to say "you heard it here first, folks".

[sussexpob]

...Obviously this was a leak that Flower or the ECB thought better of so they have sent Selvey down the river hoping this issue can be buried by the hack taking the flack.

Why "obviously"? Can't journalists come up with rubbish all on their own? Scyld Berry does.

Saying Andy Flower was "adament" that KP had to go or he would quit is quite a statement to make if it is a work of your own imagination. Its the kind of language that a Journo would only use with the confidence of knowledge

[Arthur Crabtree]

Selvey has already admitted that the ECB runs stories advantageous to itself through a system of unattributed leaks. And that this happened in 2012 during KP's contract negotiations.

[D/L]

...Obviously this was a leak that Flower or the ECB thought better of so they have sent Selvey down the river hoping this issue can be buried by the hack taking the flack.

Why "obviously"? Can't journalists come up with rubbish all on their own? Scyld Berry does.

Saying Andy Flower was "adament" that KP had to go or he would quit is quite a statement to make if it is a work of your own imagination. Its the kind of language that a Journo would only use with the confidence of knowledge

Or with the confidence he would eventually be proved right, of course. Hacks are always "flying kites" with apparent confidence. "Adamant" can be misunderstood too, just as easily as it can be misspelt.

[D/L]

Selvey has already admitted that the ECB runs stories advantageous to itself through a system of unattributed leaks. And that this happened in 2012 during KP's contract negotiations.

Whereas we know that Pietersen would never stoop so low.

I prefer the crap journalist theory to a conspiracy one.

[KipperJohn]

This ongoing spectacle may make for interesting reading and debate, but Flower has rarely shown that he gives much credence to either public opinion or the views of the media. In fact I'd say he's been rather dismissive.

None of us have a clue as to what's going on behind the scenes and tomorrow's headlines rapidly become yesterday's fish and chips.

Another three or four months and we should have some idea as to who is in charge and who is going to be playing.

Until then the rather sad spectacle of chewing over the carcass of the whole England set-up will continue and not doubt be hotly debated here and elsewhere.

[meninblue]

Selvey has already admitted that the ECB runs stories advantageous to itself through a system of unattributed leaks. And that this happened in 2012 during KP's contract negotiations.

Yes, it seems that some insider must be leaking stories to see the reaction first.It could be one person or a group of person or whole ECB management approving such leake methodology.KP should actually sue the author and then things will become clear.The it will be interesting to see if he takes the responsibility of the article on himself or hints there are more people backing it.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yes this is where the leaks are unethical, as Pietersen hasn't anyone to defend himself against.

[sussexpob]

Yes this is where the leaks are unethical, as Pietersen hasn't anyone to defend himself against.

Maybe Mike Selvey can blame a "disgruntled civil servant"