England cricket team

[George2Loose]

I'm not a huge cricket fan but what an absolute shambles. I feel for Moores who has been given no time to try and sort this mess out amidst the Pietersen backdrop and the untouchable Cook.

And I thought the football team was a mess

[TightEnd]

right decision on moores but implemented disgracefully

should treat people better than that



not sure strauss is the right appointment as director. too close to the players still....

[nellberg]

moores shouldn't have got the job in the first place, and has been poor since he took over for the 2nd time. Seems like he was picked solely by downton, who thought the world of him, once he left it was curtains. impossible for strauss to be objective on issues such as cooks captaincy (as they are close friends) and should kp come back (as he hates him)

as england have a batting coach (ramprakash) and bowling coach (ottis gibson) what actual coaching did moores do? it seems a football-style manager is what is required, a man-manager, a motivator, someone with tactical acumen ... basically michael vaughan.

link between selectors and coach/captain needs to be addressed also. You have a situation where squad is picked, rashid seems to be number 1 spinner, then they try and change him on tour to bowl quicker, he struggles to adapt in warm-up game and then you have a situation where he doesn't play behind tredwell (doesn't play 4 day cricket at kent) and moeen |(who wasn't ft enough for original squad) despite all 3 pitches being receptive to spin and we played 5 bowlers.

the ashes series will be painful imo

[AndrewT]

Bet KP is glad he turned down the IPL ££££ to play CC for Surrey now Strauss is in charge.

[Woodsey]

Sick timing by KP, Strauss doing a press conference tomorrow, gonna be hard to rule him out now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/32696838

[buzzharvey22]

Sick timing by KP, Strauss doing a press conference tomorrow, gonna be hard to rule him out now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/32696838

Really can't see it myself. Had it been Michael Vaughan or Alec Stewart appointment I think he would have been back in regardless of how many scored today.

Unfortunately I think the England set up currently "Jobs for the boys" as opposed to earn your place on merit.

KP is clearly a bell end, but how many great teams have been built around somebody like that in history and worked fine?

[nellberg]

Sick timing by KP, Strauss doing a press conference tomorrow, gonna be hard to rule him out now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/32696838

Really can't see it myself. Had it been Michael Vaughan or Alec Stewart appointment I think he would have been back in regardless of how many scored today.

Unfortunately I think the England set up currently "Jobs for the boys" as opposed to earn your place on merit.

KP is clearly a bell end, but how many great teams have been built around somebody like that in history and worked fine?

Strauss clearly still hates him, given he called him a c*nt on sky last year and had to apologise about it. Add into the mix that we have no spots open in the middle order up for grabs and it means todays knock, though briliant, doesn't really change anything, apart from KP can have another P.R field day if they don't pick him. Mistake was making him the scapegoat and binning him very publically after the ashes when literally everyone under-achieved on that tour, but i wouldn't have him back now, the autobiography surely killed any chance of that

[muckthenuts]

Pietersen is a massive knob, no doubt about that but you surely got to pick your best team if you can. There's a Trott sized space in the team for him right? At 34 it's probably use KP now or never.

[KarmaDope]

Personally I would open with Lyth and Root, Ballance at 3, KP/Bell 4 & 5, Buttler/Moeen/Stokes interchange 6-8, Rashid 9, Anderson and A.N.Other quick 10/11.

[arbboy]

This is exactly why he should be in the team.  He can deliver whenever he wants.  Everyone knows he is only focused for this county game to stick it right up Andrew S.  He probably doesn't even care if he is picked again he just wanted AS to have to sweat in front of the media tomorrow and answer tough questions.  That will fuel KP's ego as much as getting back in the test team imo.

The greatest in every sport are usually ***** behind the scenes because they know their power and can get what they want.  Can't imagine Beefy was much different to KP throughout his test career.  Probably worse trying to control him with Vic and Joel off the field in the WIndies.

[Tal]

We managed ok with Botham and Boycott in the same team.

County cricket isn't producing batsmen ready for 90mph deliveries. It's a massive problem for the England decision makers. You have three options:

1) Promote Root or Bell into a position they can play in, but aren't as good or comfortable, thereby risking disrupting the balance of the line up, but there are a few guys who can fill the middle order gap;

2) Bring in KP to open against NZ, given he can play the short ball well and could turn out to be something unexpected up there as a short-term fix; or

3) Throw in a new guy like Lyth, knowing he'll be completely thrust into the lions' den and potentially end up rotating guys who struggle to cope with the immediate impact of the test game (see Compton).

As Strauss is meeting KP, we can assume that all three options are live.

[nellberg]

keeping root in the middle order would be a must for me, struggled against the new ball but has been outstanding down the order, plays with great tempo and has a hell of a future. would be loath to see his development be stunted by a quick fix 1 year of kp.  i'd happily get rid of bell for kp, but zero chance of that happening and thats just because i'm anti bell and always have been for no logical reason 

[HutchGF]

Tell KP he can have his opportunity as an opener. Also tell him he has 3 tests to prove himself, like Trott did.

He's always been one to take on a challenge, I really think this could bring out the best in him.

[Longy]

I cannot forsee kp being in team captained by cook, way too many bridges burnt. It's not like pietersen just fell out with a few people in the England setup, he has been alienating himself in cricket dressing rooms through his whole career. Comparing him to botham who was in generally liked by his team mates is misguided.

Opening is so different to batting 4, haven't we just tried this and it being unmitigated disaster? I think we need to forget him, while scoring a triple century is massively impressive it doesn't really change a lot. Leicestershire have one bowler of any quality (clint McKay), they are the weakest 4 day county side in the country.

The batting line up is a no brainer IMO for nz next week: Cook, Lyth, ballance, bell, root. We have tried root opening and he has been revelation at 5. Not sure why you would want to move him, when he is producing so well in the middle order.

Would like to see us be a bit more ruthless with the bowlers, only Anderson is a must pick. I would perservere with broad as 2nd seamer, but would like to see plunkett who has genuine pace as first  change and rashid picked on surface likely to offer turn. Also getting people like footit at Derbyshire in the fold who is quick if a little raw.

[Tal]

10m ago
Test Match Special ‏@bbctms

We understand that Kevin Pietersen has been told this evening that he won't be picked to play for England again