Print

[Watsontotty]

Various England players have today stated we will be a better team without KP Swann and Bresnan are the latest 2 to come out with this ludacris statement.

We have replaced KP with Bairstow who in his test carer so far has shown hes not up to the highest level of international cricket and has big problems against the quicks bouncing him, how on earth can we be better team without KP unless you replace him with another player ave 50 in test matches ? the world must be laughing at this so why on earth are such interview done.

We are all aware of the KP saga so why not just say Kevin is not available for selection so another promising player comes in to replace him and we will be together and we will get on with it and win this test match. Already Kallis has laughed saying England without KP is a less daunting task and England are a better team than without him. 

[mattw]

Stupid to say that, hasn't he scored the most test runs in the current english side at the moment? I know him and strauss are very close with the amount of runs they've scored, but KP has scored them in a much quicker time.

I know cricket is a team game, but it's individuals who win it - especially test matches.

[cricketbadger]

why is everyone so quick to dismiss Bairstow and identify short balls as his weakness? cant think of many batsmen who would be comfortable facing up to a Kemar Roach short ball
He's played 3 tests,still young and learning and im sure the England selectors have reason to believe he is good enough and hopefully in time will prove it. Is also coming off the back off an impressive ton, much like Taylor and he didnt let the team down

And again im sure the players who have mentioned they will be stronger without KP have a better idea than we do to the problems he may have caused in the dressing room. In my opinion bringing the youngsters through now isnt such a bad idea. Ok the Soth Africa series is huge and the next game is vital that we win, but these are the players that are potentially going to be in the side for the next 10+ years so need to be subjected to the pressure of test cricket sooner rather than later.

And lets be honest, would there have been this much uproar about the whole saga if KP and him being dropped if he hadnt just scored 149? has his form been up to his usual standards recently? aside from his 200 on a postage stamp against Lancs

[joeylough]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?class=1;id=2012;type=year

Looking at this the other English batsmen are not far behind them. But looking at the averages this year they are inferior to other international batsmen.

Could it be that the more tests we are playing and games are year in total inc ODI and T20 is having an effect on the players.

No real breaks and about 4 tests more than any of the other nations in that listing.

[Watsontotty]

his form well a double ton against lancs and 149 in the last test what more do you want ? replacing KP with Bairstow wont make England a better team under any circumstances which ever way you and they try and dress it up.

The players are basically towing the ECB line here with the stupid comments but with regards to Bairstow well we can only comment on the previous international games he has played which he looked way out of his depth however thats not to say he wont make a quality international player in time but in my opinion i don't think he will but if im proved wrong id be more than happy to admit IT.

[cricketbadger]

Im not saying he is or should be a direct replacement for KP and im sure in his career he will never bat at 4 for England, but he was the next batsmen in the pecking order so therefore the batsmen to come in for KP IMO

I see Bairstow in direct competition with Taylor at the moment, but they both play whilst England figure out who is KP's long term replacement. any ideas?

[Watsontotty]

There isn't a replacement for KP at the minute hence my comments and while i agree Bairstow/Taylor etc are the next in line the England players should not be saying they will be stronger and a better team with either Bairstow or Taylor replacing KP.

Surely it would have made more sense to say its a great opportunity for one of the younger players to step up to the plate and the other players were 100% behind them however with no KP the batting looks a little lighter than it did.

[yvk3103]

England team will be even better without players who made this statement or supported it. Losers.

They say it is a team game so, they are better without KP - team=all for 1 and 1 for all, but the ENG team seems like all for me and I for myself.

Looks the weak links are ganging-up against the strongest and the few who are not are just marginal fence-sitters.

Can all the players who are taking a shot at KP can pass a lie detector test while answering one simple question - "Have you every made derogatory statements about your team mates to others?" not many will pass - definitely not Swann, Broad, Bresnan.

I feel the ECB and team management are using the "team brats" to cause panic and fight. Gutless guys.

I don't see much difference in Sir Ian and KP, except KP is half Saffer. Both are very similar to their behaviour and their ability as game changers.

[Watsontotty]

not much i can disagree with there Yash although tbh if other players had been discovered to have done what KP is alleged to have done id expect them to be dropped also.

Why cant they tell the truth as to why Swann missed the last test ?

[tushar sehgal]

when is multiple against 1 its easier to drop 1 and keep the multiple happy. Could it be some dirty strategy from players trying to exploit one of the reasons for KP being dropped was the problems it would cause for the dressing room environment if he was in the squad....if now multiple players come out and say things like this it might keep him out for longer...

anyways its all a big mess and statements like these from Bresnan make it worse and not better...

[Watsontotty]

i see Stuart Broad has denied being directly involved in the fake twitter account which mad fun of KP ? he has stated he knows who ran the account ! Looks to be a lot going on in the camp ans as ive previously said its certinly not all KP.

[Six Sixes Cricket]

It's been rather interesting listening to talk sport around 5pm with goughy. The statement from Broad was that it was his mate that set up the account but he did not know his mate had started it, but was a follower of it. He denied talking about any of his team mates. Eco were. Happy with this.

Has anyone else Hearn what Michael Vaughnan had to say. Goughy was tearing him to bits on his statement which was along the lines that kp should be banned from playing for England and England would be better off without him.

[PM7]

It all simply shows the pig headed and foolish side of the England Management. Swann, Broad and Bresnan are no saints and have contributed to this mess. KP is someone who is probably easily wound up and does categorize himself as a cut above the other players and he probably is. I dont remember the last 3 entertaining and visually entertaining innings from any other Eng batsman other than KP.

Managing the big names and stars are where the Management team earn their money and they have failed. KP has played more cricket in all forms as he is the star and big name player which fills the grounds, sells tickets and SKY Sport subscriptions. There is not one other star, matchwinner, maverick or world class entertainer in the team like KP.

Its laughable what they say that they will be better without him. SA will slaughter Eng and take the number one team status making this the shortest reign ever. Botham was managed well and tolerated as he was a matchwinner, so was Freddie. When Gower was dropped it went pear shaped but yet England never learn do they??? Pathetic

[cricketbadger]

seems fairly obvious to me that Broad and Swann will have had some input into the parody account, being close mates with Bailey, why else would he start it up and say some of the things he said.
I dislike Broad anyway so i'd love for him to get found out and dropped

[steyn92]

Bringing in someone who can't play the short ball against the quickest attack in the world that averages 12, rather than playing someone who's taken their attack apart and averages 49 would obviously make the team stronger.