England 2012 Cricket Thread

[olaftab]

Strauss was very good in his Press conference. He is very clear about issues of mutual trust and respect and  he expects that from KP and now it is up Pietersen to do that face to face and NOT  via twitter, YouTube , text, pigeon, message in a bottle or any other indirect methods!

I do hope Strauss and Co put up a very good show this week without his Highness there.

[john e]

the England players ought to be more interested in putting the best team out to beat the South Africans rather than getting jealous because someones better than them therefore get to earn more money around the world.

Match Fixing, Drugs, they are unaceptable not a few daft txts sent to some mates, its pathetic really, the jealousy and pettiness in the England dressing room shows they dont deserve to remain the no 1's in world cricket

[PaulWinch again]

I think he'll come back in once it's ironed out. I don't think there is a chance he'll be picking and choosing games, he'll be having to be very humble moving forward.

[Chico Hamilton III]

a few daft txts sent to some mates, its pathetic really

A bit of "banter".

It's fair enough to treat a few texts sent to opponents as banter (hate the word but can't think of an alternative) but Pietersen seems incapable of accepting that the spoof tweets, which kicked off this whole situation, were also just a bit of banter. A bit of a piss take out of a player who takes himself far too seriously and who contacted lawyers to get the twitter account closed.

Can't have it both ways, KP, you arrogant shite-house.

[Chris Smith]

I think he'll come back in once it's ironed out. I don't think there is a chance he'll be picking and choosing games, he'll be having to be very humble moving forward.

He probably will then in 12 months time or so  there will be another incident. I really hope the 11 picked tomorrow put in a "fuck you KP" performance. He's a great player but as Chico says he takes himself far too seriously.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah but there's also an element of hypocrisy here, Swann was critical of players in his book(KP included). That's a published book, and Pietersen is being dropped on the basis of some private texts. If you follow through that logical conclusion then Swann should have been punished too. I'm not excusing Pietersen's behaviour, but he is not the only one responsible in all this.

[olaftab]

Comparing Swann's book revelations  with Pietersen's texts is chalk and cheese. Swann put it out in the public for all to see his point of view. Pietersen sent back stabbing underhanded snide remarks only to "a mate or two" who happened to be the opposition. Not the same.

[bertlambshank]

Comparing Swann's book revelations  with Pietersen's texts is chalk and cheese. Swann put it out in the public for all to see his point of view. Pietersen sent back stabbing underhanded snide remarks only to "a mate or two" who happened to be the opposition. Not the same.

ECB gave the ok to Swann's book.Fault on all sides.

[PaulWinch again]

Comparing Swann's book revelations  with Pietersen's texts is chalk and cheese. Swann put it out in the public for all to see his point of view. Pietersen sent back stabbing underhanded snide remarks only to "a mate or two" who happened to be the opposition. Not the same.

But he was still slating his team mates, which whether it's a public or private view is not great for team harmony. I'm not saying I agree with the texts, but slating someone to a much larger audience is hardly admirable either.

[olaftab]

I agree that what Swann did and others do to sell books is deplorable.

[paul_e]

That's my biggest issue with it, other people have done things that are just as bad or worse but got away with it because they're 'one of the boys' whereas KP sets himself apart and takes the full hit.

He is annoyingly full of himself and not likeable but that doesn't deserve the shit he gets, especially considering he's one of the best batsmen we've ever had.

[PaulWinch again]

Twenty20 squad deadline been put back until Friday 24th, which probably gives them enough time to sort out KP situation.

[Chris Smith]

That's my biggest issue with it, other people have done things that are just as bad or worse but got away with it because they're 'one of the boys' whereas KP sets himself apart and takes the full hit.

He is annoyingly full of himself and not likeable but that doesn't deserve the shit he gets, especially considering he's one of the best batsmen we've ever had.

Reading between the lines and from Strauss's interview yesterday I think there's more to this than the stuff that is in the public realm. There is no way they could go om a winter tour, where they're in each others pockets for weeks, without it being resolved.

It needs sorting and dropping him has forced the issue, he now needs to act like a man, not a spoilt kid, if he wants to get back into the squad.

[PaulWinch again]

Mistake not to pick Finn for me. We need to hit them hard, and I don't think Bresnan offers enough in a 4 man attack.

[PaulWinch again]

Correction BBC have it wrong and Bresnan is out and Finn is in, which is correct.