Ashes 2013/14

[bertlambshank]

It's very weird all these quotes coming out. Anyway I'm surprised they're calling up Tredwell as Australia took him apart in the ODIs, but glad to see Borthwick is getting involved.

Tredwell had an average of over 50 last season,unfortunately it wasn't with the bat.This just shows how weak the spin bowling is.

[Chris Jameson]

Very selfish of Swann, at least he can concentrate on developing his 'Swanny' character for Greg James and his media buddies.

[eastie]

When he quit I expected him to head home for christmas rather than hanging around in Australia giving his rent a quotes to the media - it's well known he and kp don't get on but I'm sure there are others as well .

Wasn't it Goughie who famously chinned him in the toilets once ?

[adrenachrome]

GB on KP from a recent Torygraph article:

How do you tell inexperienced players such as Carberry and Root that you have to sell your wicket dearly and work through difficult periods in a match, but then Pietersen plays like he does? He has given his wicket away four times out of six. Each time they set a trap for him and he falls for it. He is a mug and the Aussies are laughing at him. They think he is a sucker.
 Senior players should always give a lead to the juniors, but with Pietersen it is all about self. He is going to do whatever he wants, play the way he feels irrespective of the state of the match or what is best for England.
 I do not agree that you have to let him play the way he wants. When the best player in the team makes stupid mistakes just think what that does to the morale of the rest of the players. KP is in his own world.
 It is almost a personal challenge. He is going to show everyone that if you put a fielder in a position, he can hit it over him or past him because he thinks he is better than the plan they have set for him.
 He is England’s best player by far and it has a huge impact when he gets out. But getting out is not a crime. It is the way you get out.
 It is also a failure of management as much as KP’s fault. Andy Flower has allowed him to play any way he wants because he can win matches.
 Every mother knows that no matter how much she loves her child she has to set boundaries. The child has to know if you cross the boundary some privileges will be taken away until you grasp right and wrong.
 Andy should have told him long ago it is not on. But obviously he has let him do what he wants, so he keeps making the same silly mistakes. I actually think KP is too long in the tooth to change now. They say old dogs cannot or will change. If I was Andy Flower I would be saying either he goes or I go.

[eastie]

Good article - i like boycott - he tells it as he sees it and couldn't care less who he upsets in doing so.

[PaulWinch again]

KP's interview will irritate some as he says he'll continue to take risks, but at least he's shown he's commited to playing for England. If he can be a little more sensible with his shots he's a fine player.

[eastie]

KP's interview will irritate some as he says he'll continue to take risks, but at least he's shown he's commited to playing for England. If he can be a little more sensible with his shots he's a fine player.

Irritated me when he said he's playing as well as he's ever played - bollocks!

[olaftab]

Irritated me when he said he's playing as well as he's ever played - bollocks!

Yes I found that both funny and worrying. Funny as I thought he was kidding and worrying if he wasn't!

[olaftab]

I see Swann is being "managed" by Sky.  His interview with them is anything but a facilitation exercise to smooth him into his new role. I noticed that he back tracked on "heads up their arse" by saying " no not England players" so the follow up question was "These are Australians you are referring to?" . Of course that question was not asked by the Sky interviewer!

[Ads]

I thought KP showed in his interview with the BBC that he can dig and defend when necessary.

[taylorsworkrate]

Still no Finn or Rankin.

What a lovely holiday they must be having.

[bertlambshank]

So far so good.44-0.

[paul_e]

So far so good.44-0.

and then Cook plays a really loose one and we're 48-1

[taylorsworkrate]

107/3

Root 24 from 82 balls
Pietersen currently 4 from 31 balls
Bell currently 2 from 13 balls

Is it some sort of weird political statement the batsmen are continuing to make?

[OzVilla]

The Aussies have kept it tight but as a batting side we go into our shell so easily.  Time and again we get bogged down, allow Australia to stifle us with no pressure of attacking intent and then lose wickets.  Yet again we are going no where fast. Our confidence is so shot that our best two stroke players can't hit the ball off the square.

Bell just gone now so that plan didn't work.