The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[sussexpob]

Picking him is simply a win win situation in my belief. He fails, its the end of the story.... he succeeds, then the team benefit

He blew any opportunity he had when he wrote a book.

The book was a result of a complete and motivated character assassination that was going on in the press without any explanation. They kept him silent contractually, a contract that I hasten to remind you which was broken by Downton when he couldnt help but blurt out some nonsense in the lead up to the summer tests (which he apologised for), and then kept saying "reasons....pffttt, just you wait to find those out there are hundreds of them"....

Then the silent period ended, KP said "here what I think and this is how I was treated"..... and in answer the ECB said...

"pfft, just you wait and find out those reasons, there are hundreds of them"...... Mike Selvey still convinces us there were countless reasons to sack him, but in evidence he hasnt produced one, even though he now can

[Making_Splinters]

I would be delighted to see Strauss have enough common sense to just not talk about KP.

And if asked, what does he say after this 300? He cant avoid the issue until he states his decision, and he will be asked everywhere he goes

Sorry, but if there is not a place open to question in the Test side then there is no question about KP. That is the answer the ECB should give and if really pushed they talk about the likes of Taylor.

The ECB seem to not have twigged that making selection decisions based on non cricket reasons makes them look petty, you would have hoped that the new faces would realise this and not go and tell him off after he's just made a triple ton!

[sussexpob]

I would be delighted to see Strauss have enough common sense to just not talk about KP.

And if asked, what does he say after this 300? He cant avoid the issue until he states his decision, and he will be asked everywhere he goes

Sorry, but if there is not a place open to question in the Test side then there is no question about KP. That is the answer the ECB should give and if really pushed they talk about the likes of Taylor.

The ECB seem to not have twigged that making selection decisions based on non cricket reasons makes them look petty, you would have hoped that the new faces would realise this and not go and tell him off after he's just made a triple ton!

Not sure Strauss, who was part of team management that dropped Taylor rather unceremoniously after two tests because they clearly didnt rate him, could say with a straight face he was the current future of the team. Not sure you could also state with any certainty that Stokes or Ali have convinced as a top 6 batsman, and Bell is desperately in need of runs before he gets the axe, and one extra batter is coming into the side already.

[KipperJohn]

Are all these people supposed to be professional businessmen? Beggars belief. He should be treated like any other player. Either he's selected or not - end of story.

Who cares what the press say - we're all entitled to an opinion.

[Making_Splinters]

I would be delighted to see Strauss have enough common sense to just not talk about KP.

And if asked, what does he say after this 300? He cant avoid the issue until he states his decision, and he will be asked everywhere he goes

Sorry, but if there is not a place open to question in the Test side then there is no question about KP. That is the answer the ECB should give and if really pushed they talk about the likes of Taylor.

The ECB seem to not have twigged that making selection decisions based on non cricket reasons makes them look petty, you would have hoped that the new faces would realise this and not go and tell him off after he's just made a triple ton!

Not sure Strauss, who was part of team management that dropped Taylor rather unceremoniously after two tests because they clearly didnt rate him, could say with a straight face he was the current future of the team. Not sure you could also state with any certainty that Stokes or Ali have convinced as a top 6 batsman, and Bell is desperately in need of runs before he gets the axe, and one extra batter is coming into the side already.

Bell made a vital ton in his last series, and if we are judging players on that short of a timescale then Cook should have been dropped eons ago. Stokes and Ali are both allrounders so not a like for like comparisson. Not really the point mind, the responce to any question over KP should be simply about the current team and the likes of Taylor or Hales etc. This petty nonsense has smeared everyone in mud, if Strauss doesn't have the nouse to stay out of it then he's not going to last long. Fronting up to the press and explaining why a bloke who has just made a cracking triple ton should not be considered for selection on cricketing reasons is beyond laughable even by the ECBs standards.

[Arthur Crabtree]

So is justifying why he was dropped in the first place. How about just treating someone fairly and without prejudice as a way forward for delousing English cricket?

[Making_Splinters]

So is justifying why he was dropped in the first place. How about just treating someone fairly and without prejudice as a way forward for delousing English cricket?

Don't be daft lad. Far to many precious princesses holding on to posts to let that kind of drivel fly in the modern game. There was a nice line on cricinfo's county championship feed earlier, "We all have to work with dicks, why is England cricket any different."

[Aidan11]

The buzz on Twitter is that Strauss has said "no thanks" to KP.

[Aidan11]

What a shambles the ECB are.

Strauss has made a brave call there. On the day KP gets a triple-ton.


Maybe in his own world he thinks this makes him popular.



Strauss Out.

[Aidan11]

Now confirmed -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/32699465

[dan08]

Surely KP can sue the ECB. He's lost up to £200k in income because the ECB lied to him by saying he had a chance to play for England again.

[Aidan11]

For the ECB to have any credibility they must now disclose the REAL reasons why KP isn't going to play for England.


It certainly isn't for cricket reasons.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Downtonesque work by Strauss, already.

[Making_Splinters]

The ECB is very much like the school bully who steals your lunch money, it was never about the money just the false pretence of power that came with the act. The ECB seems to feel the need to have their pound of flesh, but to do so on a day were its been announced that they've slipped to fifth in the Test rankings, when they've just come back from a humbling tour of the West Indies and when the school kid in question has just smashed a triple ton shows how false their power is.

Strauss probably practised his speach in front of the mirror, but he has fallen into the same trap of his predecessors, giving KP the moral high ground.

[braveneutral]

An absolute shambles. It is shaping up the divisions in HQ too.