Kevin Pietersens England career over.

[joeinbrighton]

The T20 tournaments here run through from Dec to March and there are a lot of overseas plyers in it.

Still not going to affect Pietersen playing for Surrey in August though, even if he were interested in playing in 'The Big Bash'.

 

[vegster]

I missed all this last night as I was out for a meal, this should make today fly by, luckily I have a large pack of salted peanuts and those nice Phileas Fogg Luisiana Poppers. I will get stuck in in a bit.

 

[knocky1]

Dominic Cork has said on Radio 5 that one of the reasons he was sacked is that he squared up to Cook.When a player shows such disrespect to the captain something has too be done.

Absolutely. Whack him a few times and keep him in the team. That could do Cook a lot of good too.

 

[knocky1]

Still not going to affect Pietersen playing for Surrey in August though, even if he were interested in playing in 'The Big Bash'.

His selective injuries will prevent him playing 4 day cricket for Surrey. He only performed for Surrey when playing himself back into England contention from injury, Headingly last year against Yorkshire. Since then all his 4 day games were for England and should have been 5 days...........

 

[spring hall convert]

I would rather an organised professional team with across the board abilities than building it around a loose cannon.
6 years overdue in my opinion, the w*****r is a liability and should have gone ages ago.
After what I witnessed in my first ashes test here, it's shame he should feel pulling the shirt on and not pride.
Now maybe we could see the return of Swann.

Swann who has a serious shoulder problem, who averaged over 80 in the series against the Australians and who has a chequered disciplinary past of his own. Riiigght

6 years overdue? Are you absolutely crazy? He's been England's most consistent run scorer in that period. Yes Cook may well have outscored him in Tests but has had serious peaks and troughs...

 

[spring hall convert]

Dominic Cork has said on Radio 5 that one of the reasons he was sacked is that he squared up to Cook.When a player shows such disrespect to the captain something has too be done.

That's the same Alistair Cook who has been consistently outthought by Clarke over 10 Test Matches, who scored no runs of his own in either series. I'm pleased someone in the unit is asking questions about his capataincy, it needs saying.

 

[Nathan]

Some interesting quotes on the bbc sportsnews pages...

BBC Radio 5 live on Twitter: "Did you enjoy playing with him?" "I enjoyed watching him play immensely" Matthew Hoggard on #KevinPietersen.

Former Australia cricketer Shane Warne on Twitter: "I also just heard the sad news re KP that he has played his last game for England, to me it's a disgrace & a joke! The ECB is in a shambles."

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

As some of you know, I coach county youth cricket. At the start of our winter programme last month we sat our u15s down for a chat. One of the things we asked them was: who is your cricketing idol? Several said Bell, some said Anderson and a couple said Cook, but not ONE said KP.

As a coach. it can be a real challenge getting the best out of talented players with high ego AND keeping the rest of the team on side. Moores and Flower are no mugs but I can see how impossible it might have been to have a character like KP in the team and the disruption his style could cause.

 

[vegster]

Just read Mike Atherton's piece in The Times. It makes for interesting reading but still only gives glimpses behind the veil of secrecy that surrounds the England dressing room. So, there have been misdemeanors at various times, none every clearly documented, but, it seems the sheer weight of previous "form" has finally been his downfall.

Ultimately Cricket is a team game and mavericks can be tolerated when things are going well but when things go wrong its not so easy. If the hints of him being outside the tent and not a team man are true then I have to side with the management. The options are to say thanks KP and move on without him or accept his individuality within a 10 man team with the inevitable fracturing. When a committee of the great and the good of English Cricket decide they can/must do without him we should accept it.

Things have happened of which we will never know the exact truth until the likes of Flower/Cook/KP either re-write their autobiogs and we can piece the parts of the jigsaw together or someone breaks cover and spills everything ( Swann most likely ) in to the open.
All in all, he has polarised England supporters in much the same way as he played his cricket. Amazing or stupid with a bat in equal measure.

 

[mikeyjh]

Some interesting quotes on the bbc sportsnews pages...

BBC Radio 5 live on Twitter: "Did you enjoy playing with him?" "I enjoyed watching him play immensely" Matthew Hoggard on #KevinPietersen.

Former Australia cricketer Shane Warne on Twitter: "I also just heard the sad news re KP that he has played his last game for England, to me it's a disgrace & a joke! The ECB is in a shambles."

He then went on to say, they had their differences, had a pint and moved on.

Brad Hogg was on TMS during the ODIs and talked about how uncomfortable the Australian dressing room was when he started, said it wasn't a particularly welcoming environment. This was one of the best teams ever, with stellar individuals who competed as a team but probably didn't care much for each other. That's sport at the top, the very best don't get to be there by being chummy, they are driven competitive individuals who have the personality traits to match.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Just read Mike Atherton's piece in The Times. It makes for interesting reading but still only gives glimpses behind the veil of secrecy that surrounds the England dressing room. So, there have been misdemeanors at various times, none every clearly documented, but, it seems the sheer weight of previous "form" has finally been his downfall.

Ultimately Cricket is a team game and mavericks can be tolerated when things are going well but when things go wrong its not so easy. If the hints of him being outside the tent and not a team man are true then I have to side with the management. The options are to say thanks KP and move on without him or accept his individuality within a 10 man team with the inevitable fracturing. When a committee of the great and the good of English Cricket decide they can/must do without him we should accept it.

Things have happened of which we will never know the exact truth until the likes of Flower/Cook/KP either re-write their autobiogs and we can piece the parts of the jigsaw together or someone breaks cover and spills everything ( Swann most likely ) in to the open.
All in all, he has polarised England supporters in much the same way as he played his cricket. Amazing or stupid with a bat in equal measure.

This may all be true, but why now? We have a new coach to appoint, perhaps even a new captain to consider - surely the entire team, management and coaching staff should be under review as well as the selectors and governors of the game!? To just come out on an individual item to announce KP isn't needed anymore is just pathetic to me.

Is this what this winter is going to lead to, KP sacked, Giles appointed as coach and off we go as if nothing happened? That there were no other fundamental failures over the past 12 months!?

I'm not talking about a committee led review, but some joined up thinking would be nice, a strategic vision of what needs to happen, whether this is a change in personnel, management structures, selection policy, captaincy, whatever it might be, but currently it just looks piece meal and without clarity of thought or intent.

 

[mikeyjh]

As some of you know, I coach county youth cricket. At the start of our winter programme last month we sat our u15s down for a chat. One of the things we asked them was: who is your cricketing idol? Several said Bell, some said Anderson and a couple said Cook, but not ONE said KP.

As a coach. it can be a real challenge getting the best out of talented players with high ego AND keeping the rest of the team on side. Moores and Flower are no mugs but I can see how impossible it might have been to have a character like KP in the team and the disruption his style could cause.

But, and I mean no slight on you - What does it say about the character of our young sportsmen that Ian Bell is their cricketing idol? Nice quiet bloke with a decent record and a brittle temperament who scores at a steady rate. How many games has Ian Bell won for England, how many people would pay to go and watch Ian Bell?

 

[vegster]

This may all be true, but why now? We have a new coach to appoint, perhaps even a new captain to consider - surely the entire team, management and coaching staff should be under review as well as the selectors and governors of the game!? To just come out on an individual item to announce KP isn't needed anymore is just pathetic to me.

Is this what this winter is going to lead to, KP sacked, Giles appointed as coach and off we go as if nothing happened? That there were no other fundamental failures over the past 12 months!?

I'm not talking about a committee led review, but some joined up thinking would be nice, a strategic vision of what needs to happen, whether this is a change in personnel, management structures, selection policy, captaincy, whatever it might be, but currently it just looks piece meal and without clarity of thought or intent.

It may be best to wait for the next 3 months to see what else happens. This could be the first brick of a very big rebuilding process.

 

[Nathan]

He then went on to say, they had their differences, had a pint and moved on.
QUOTE]

Thanks for clarifying, I thought it was a bit odd out of context.

 

[spring hall convert]

Things have happened of which we will never know the exact truth until the likes of Flower/Cook/KP either re-write their autobiogs and we can piece the parts of the jigsaw together or someone breaks cover and spills everything ( Swann most likely ) in to the open.
All in all, he has polarised England supporters in much the same way as he played his cricket. Amazing or stupid with a bat in equal measure.

I for one can't wait to read about this tour. It's clear to me that something rather serious has gone on, I'm sure they'll be some very differing points of view given time.

 

[spring hall convert]

Johnathan Agnew makes the very on message point here

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/26041878

His argument, I think falls down on using Stokes as an example of up and coming talent. I'll be charitable to Joe Root and say that he is the only other one that has come in and looked decent. Otherwise we are looking at Rankin, Borthwick, Ballance, Woakes, Kerrigan, Compton, Taylor, Bairstow, Samit Patel, Shahzad, Morgan, Tredwell, Finn and Carberry as the most recent 14 Test caps. I know it's early to write the off but NONE of them has achieved any sort of consistent success in Test match cricket.

Compare that to caps 622-626 - Collingwood, Jones. G, Strauss, Bell, Pietersen

 

[Kumquat]

Shame it's ended like this but you can understand why. He fell out with cricket authorities in SA, which is why he came to England; he fell out with Nottinghamshire (very badly) and Hampshire. He's seen off two England coaches and has been dropped once for disciplinary reasons:it's not a great record.

England were thrashed by, absolutely thrashed, by a weaker team ... but a weaker team that played as a team with a common purpose. KP is a great player, one of the best I've seen, but as a disruptive presence he's up there with Barnes and Boycott. It's sad it's ended like it has but if England are to go forward as a stronger team, it's probably best for all concerned

Very well said. Sums it up perfectly.

 

[Kumquat]

Johnathan Agnew makes the very on message point here

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/26041878

His argument, I think falls down on using Stokes as an example of up and coming talent. I'll be charitable to Joe Root and say that he is the only other one that has come in and looked decent. Otherwise we are looking at Rankin, Borthwick, Ballance, Woakes, Kerrigan, Compton, Taylor, Bairstow, Samit Patel, Shahzad, Morgan, Tredwell, Finn and Carberry as the most recent 14 Test caps. I know it's early to write the off but NONE of them has achieved any sort of consistent success in Test match cricket.

Compare that to caps 622-626 - Collingwood, Jones. G, Strauss, Bell, Pietersen

I think harsh on Ballance who I reckon is going to be excellent for us.Just my opinion. But of the ones you mention only Bairstow and Compton have had a real chance in terms of numbers of games. Finn is a real talent and there are specific issues around his lack of form.Tredwell and Carberry are past it but haven't disgraced themselves or played that many tests.

 

[spring hall convert]

I think harsh on Ballance who I reckon is going to be excellent for us.Just my opinion. But of the ones you mention only Bairstow and Compton have had a real chance in terms of numbers of games. Finn is a real talent and there are specific issues around his lack of form.Tredwell and Carberry are past it but haven't disgraced themselves or played that many tests.

I'm harsh on Rankin, Borthwick, Ballance, Woakes & Kerrigan who haven't had enough of a chance yet (having said that none of them pulled up any trees...) and yes, you are right of them Ballance looks like he has what it takes but have a look at our new test caps since 2010 & it is utterly grim. Trott is arguably the last player we successfully brought into the side & consitently performed.

Yet all of sudden we think we can replace an opening batsman, a middle order batsman, a front line spin bowler, a seamer & possibly a wicketkeeper. Thereavinalaugh.

 

[OzMike]

This is exactly why we'll always be behind in team sports. The majority prefer a shit tryer to a flawed genius. As long as you get out caught behind for 10 playing with a straight bat that's ok, just don't get caught on the boundary on 50.

Swann won't come back, his body is broken. Also he committed a much worse crime than KP on this tour - he gave up when we were losing.

I think that he had stomached enough of KP myself.