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[joeljonno]

Just a couple of things....

He's England's best batter.
He's pure box office and cricket's an entertainment industry when all said and done. Bums on seats.

No point getting bums on seat if you can't win. Cricket team is there to win games first, raise money second.

He may be the best batsman in some eyes yet if he is bringing multiple people down by whatever means then he is not worth it. If (and is a big if) the reason Cook has been failing is partially due to KP and this solves that problem then good.

One man does not make a team.

[Tom]

How many players are Anti-KP right now? Swann has just come out in favour in a Sun article, as have numerous ex-team mates inc Vaughan, Warne, Harmison and Simon Jones.

[Tom]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/10620654/Kevin-Pietersens-anti-Andy-Flower-rant-was-the-final-nail-in-his-England-career.html

If this is correct. I don't see much wrong with what KP did, at least in this case.

[smokem]

"Instead of netting as they usually would two days before a Test, Cook decided to hold a physical fitness session, having told the team that part of the reason they were losing was because they were not as fit as Australia. After the session Pietersen told Cook that the team were fitter than he had known at any other time in his career and felt that they should have been working on skills instead."

If this is true, it is utterly embarrassing for Cook. If fitness was an issue, what can you possibly gain from holding a physical fitness session 2 days before a test? I would have thought there would be more to lose with the possibility of fatigue and injury. Extra catching and fielding practice would have been a far better idea...

[smilley792]

If that article be true, it sounds very much like they expected him to be a "yes" man after his re integration.

And as soon ashes stepped out of that and gave a view(correct in my opinion) he's been stabbed in the back and shafted.




I ain't a coach, so someone can correct me, but if I had to do something in 2 days that required my fitness levels to be increased by 10%, I very much doubt I'd be able to achieve it?

Plus I doubt it was a fitness issue, that was ripping through the England batting line up. Were they to tired to duck and weave johnstons bouncers?
Nope, I pretty sure they didn't have the technique and needed to practice!

[ProCricketer1982]

If anyone can 'get fit' in two days then they are not human, you will. It see an increase in fitness after me hard session, you'll just feel sore, achy as you'll have 'overdone' the muscles and created slight tears.. While they'll repair, it means that for the game you'll be (No Swearing Please).

Aus weren't fitter anyway, it was because they could skittle England on few overs, but their feet up. England DS. Owners and players were pretty much of the field all day,every day.. No wonder they are knackered.

[iand123]

I'm sure we'll slowly get more info on what this anti-flower rant of KP's contained. Although if Prior actually has said what that buffoon Morgan says he has said then it doesnt sound like KP was the only one having a real go at Flower.

Did anyone listen to the Tuffers and Vaughan show last night? I've just listented to it on the way into work as a podcast, some decent discussion and a few more bits of info that came out of it that i wasnt aware of, defo worth a listen if you ask me

[ProCricketer1982]

I'm sure we'll slowly get more info on what this anti-flower rant of KP's contained. Although if Prior actually has said what that buffoon Morgan says he has said then it doesnt sound like KP was the only one having a real go at Flower.

Did anyone listen to the Tuffers and Vaughan show last night? I've just listented to it on the way into work as a podcast, some decent discussion and a few more bits of info that came out of it that i wasnt aware of, defo worth a listen if you ask me

What bits ?

[iand123]

Nothing major but the meeting lasted 3 minutes, KP asked for specifics and wasnt given any, Cook barely spoke to KP and it was all a bit awkward and embarrassing. There was some stuff about the team meeting too

I knew it was a 3 minute meeting had been publicized but wasnt aware Cook didnt talk to KP throughout it all

[ProCricketer1982]

Nothing major but the meeting lasted 3 minutes, KP asked for specifics and wasnt given any, Cook barely spoke to KP and it was all a bit awkward and embarrassing. There was some stuff about the team meeting too

I knew it was a 3 minute meeting had been publicized but wasnt aware Cook didnt talk to KP throughout it all

Cowards way out. I respect Cook as a player and he always seemed like he was a decent chap but IF (as we still don't know everything) he's acted like that then it's just being a ECB brown nosed coward. Stand up for yourself and speak ! If people don't like it, that's their problem.

[iand123]

The general concensus of the entire program was WHY has this happened

[13th Man]

Bad luck for England if that is the end of KP?  To be upfront, he had a poor Ashes series, but who didn't?  I suggest a new assessment, look at how the Aussies celebrated when they got a wicket!  KP danger man, lucky for us he didn't really get going.  Hopefully we can see him back for BBL4?

[ppccopener]

there's an article just out on the BBC website

the ECB and Cook are looking worse by the hour

swanny has no reason to lie now he is out of the team....

interesting

[no1northernbloke]

No point getting bums on seat if you can't win. Cricket team is there to win games first, raise money second.

He may be the best batsman in some eyes yet if he is bringing multiple people down by whatever means then he is not worth it. If (and is a big if) the reason Cook has been failing is partially due to KP and this solves that problem then good.

One man does not make a team.

Are you saying you'd much sooner watch someone like Peter Ebdon grind out a victory rather than watch Ronnie O Sullivan blaze his away around the table? Sooner watch Kevin Na bore his way around the golf course rather than watch Tiger smash it round? Cricket is about entertainment, it's about engaging with future generations, it's about providing value for money, it's about excitement. Without these things cricket or any sport soon becomes an irrelevance to all but the 'hardcore' of supporters.

Each player is responsible for their own performance. If I get nicked off in the second over, I can't blame a team mate for that.

One player doesn't make a team. But one player can win matches, and KP is a match winner.

[Kieron_BT]

There is a reason the 2005 Ashes brought the nation to a stand still and probably got more kids playing cricket that ever before (me included) Hard hitting batsman, fast bowlers, high run rates and close matches. What does England have out of that criteria now?