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[jamielsn15]

The only thing with the kp issue is the certainty of dripping him forever and saying he wont play again. Couldn't they have just dropped him and said they wanted to move in another direction? I know they probably wanted to stop the conversation but still.

Now they've needlessly bbacked themselves into a corner. What if kp has 1000 runs by end of May? What if he averages 100?

Couldn't agree more.  It's been a PR disaster from start to finish.  I'm guessing they wanted to end any recurring speculation but it's blown up in their faces.  What they should have done is sat down with him and explained why they didn't want to pick him anymore.  He may not have agreed, he may not have kept quiet about how he felt, but at least you're being up front and honest.

If he has 1000 runs at 100 by the end of May, I'd pick him.  The selectors won't because they've given themselves no option...

[Stuey]

There's a spot at 4 in my club side with KP's name all over it!

[ProCricketer1982]

To coin a football phrase, what's the score in top corner?  Still 5-0.  Carberry was second highest scorer and they dropped him asap.  My point is there are other factors for him being sacked beyond making the ECB scapegoats.  Yes, they've handled it appallingly, and there needs to be change in personnel, vision and attitude from top down.

Sorry to continue with the football analogies.  Why didn't England pick Gazza for France 98? Why didn't Beckham get selected for London 2012?  We all wanted to see them - and KP - play.  The common denominator is age.  And performances (also mismanagement of talents, but that falls in the NGB structural changes and the way we ID talent in this country).  As soon as KP wasn't impacting on the results of games, they had an excuse to let him go.  It may well be that all were not selected for rocking the boat, being a sideshow, being bigger than the building, but there are also very valid reasons for not selecting them, in the NGBs minds, that they can use to justify their decisions.  KP's knee isn't going to get any better as he gets older, he can't retrace what he said in his book.

I'm not against selecting him.  But I'd want to be sure he was back to his best.  That's going to take time, which he doesn't have and in that time younger players are getting more experience and probably embedding themselves in the middle order for years to come.  How does he get back in if the middle order are flying up to and through the summer?

I'm only being a realist.  I'd love to see an in form KP batting at 4, with Bell and Root at 5 and 6 and play four bowlers - that format got us to number 1 in the world.  I just don't see it happening.  Don't confuse my realism with my ideal...

again
why was cook, root, bell, broad, anderson all kept on then? they were impacting the team even less!

it's been said now that KP wasnt' disrupting players, was helping the youngster etc.  Seems to me that he is streets ahead of Bell, Ballance, Cook and co if he scores runs in apr/may in the LVCC. his past is better and if he's back fit and scoring runs then he's a  better bet. I want the best xi playing each game, not a nursery.. leave them to learn in the LVCC, not in an eng shirt

[uknsaunders]

That's the issue i have that they have really put a lot of pressure on themselves - for KP to sign for Surrey he would have had to cancel his IPL contract which he wouldn't have done without some sort of word from the ECB (KP said as much in all the interviews he did) - however you have Whitaker saying he isn't in their plans.

Below are the fixtures Surrey have before the 1st test vs NZ - looking at who they are playing i can quite easily see him scoring a load of runs - the Glamorgan and Leicester attacks are hardly worrying and he has 2 CC games at the Oval.

CC DIV 2 -
Sunday 19th April 2015  v Glamorgan - Cardiff   
Sunday 26th April 2015 v Essex - The Oval   
Sunday 10th May 2015 v Leicestershire - The Oval   
T20 BLAST -
Friday 15th May 2015 v Glamorgan - The Oval   
Saturday 16th May 2015 v Essex - Chelmsford

He could have 1000 runs by Mid May looking at the oppo and decks! The only thing that will get him out is boredom!

[ScottParko]

Borthwick needs to leave durham really, unless he's planning to get in as a specialist batsman.

He broke his spinning finger at the start of last season (maybe even season before) which basically put a stop to his bowling, and focusing on batting. In the long form he bats at 3 for Durham, so like Stokes, was used well out of role when he featured for England! That explains the lack of bowling progress and supports that he is focusing just on his batting...... BUT, he has had specialist coaching on the bowling front and with Breese leaving Durham, he might well get more bowling time in the 2015 season!

[joeljonno]

What Whitaker said was that he has not been in their talks.

But I read that as only because KP has not played anything.

If KP comes back, and performs, he could review whether to pick him.

(Then choose not to).


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[Bats_Entertainment]

I want the best xi playing each game, not a nursery.. leave them to learn in the LVCC, not in an eng shirt

That's  funny, because earlier you said England should drop Ian Bell in order to 'blood' Adam Lyth at no.6.

[Manormanic]

Sorry to continue with the football analogies.  Why didn't England pick Gazza for France 98? Why didn't Beckham get selected for London 2012?  We all wanted to see them - and KP - play.  The common denominator is age.  And performances (also mismanagement of talents, but that falls in the NGB structural changes and the way we ID talent in this country).  As soon as KP wasn't impacting on the results of games, they had an excuse to let him go.  It may well be that all were not selected for rocking the boat, being a sideshow, being bigger than the building, but there are also very valid reasons for not selecting them, in the NGBs minds, that they can use to justify their decisions.  KP's knee isn't going to get any better as he gets older, he can't retrace what he said in his book.

Obviously with a 5-0 loss it'd be churlish to suggest that KP affected the results - but - and this is a huge but - did you not notice that he was always the wicket the Aussies wanted.  That wasn't a McGrath style behead the oppo style wicket a la Cook, it was a genuine fear that Pietersen could utterly humiliate them in a session.

He could be over the hill, but we're talking about 11 months on from the best innings by an English player in India ever, 20 on from him treating Dale Steyn like a club bowler. I'd say that, if that version of Pietersen had deteriorated by 20% he'd still be a light year ahead of guys like Taylor, Vince, Robson and, much as I like the lad, Balance...

[edge]

Talking of Ashes 2013 (KP/tredwell tenuous link) what happened to Borthwick? Flown over to Sydney for the 5th test, never to be seen again. I would have thought he would be a better back up to Rashid in the Windies rather than Tredwell, who won't get picked with Root able to roll his arm over.

Borthwick got picked because he happened to be in Aus playing grade at the time, no way would he have been chosen if they were flying in an extra player!

[Stuey]

Borthwick got picked because he happened to be in Aus playing grade at the time, no way would he have been chosen if they were flying in an extra player!

If that's right it's very worrying, surely England should be picking the best players as determined by the selectors, not some guy who happens to be playing locally. If anyones going to the windies, you should take your kit, you might get a game, probably ahead of Tredwell 

[uknsaunders]

I'm going to stick up for Tredwell here. He's done some good work for England in the ODI setup and he deserves a chance. His 4 day form might not be great but he's got some good players out in ODI cricket so he can't be that bad.

[Buzz]

I'm going to stick up for Tredwell here. He's done some good work for England in the ODI setup and he deserves a chance. His 4 day form might not be great but he's got some good players out in ODI cricket so he can't be that bad.

that is rubbish, he isn't even in Kent's 4 day team. He should be no where near the Eng test side.

[Stuey]

Could Whitakers days be numbered! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/31963305

[uknsaunders]

that is rubbish, he isn't even in Kent's 4 day team. He should be no where near the Eng test side.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/21646.html

There must be so many people with his international experience in county cricket who can do a job, I could only name poor old Monty. He might not be exciting but I don't think he will let us down. Certainly not a Kerrigan and we don't want a repeat of that. Rashid is enough of a risk as it is.

[Stuey]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/21646.html

There must be so many people with his international experience in county cricket who can do a job, I could only name poor old Monty. He might not be exciting but I don't think he will let us down. Certainly not a Kerrigan and we don't want a repeat of that. Rashid is enough of a risk as it is.

He won't get selected to play in the tests anyway, England just take him along for the ride. Over the last 5 months he's warmed seats in Sri lanka, New Zealand, Australia and now Windies. I'm not sure whether he's a cricketer or a tour guide.