England cricket team

[arbboy]

Point taken.  But on the flip side we have some one paced batsmen who won't score quickly when the conditions are in their favour (both in the ODI game and Tests).  Grinding out 50s is a great skill sometimes but we are being left behind in general.

Not that Pieterson is a long term option of course, but other players could learn from his domineering mindset. 

I guess my issue is that if Pieterson's poor team ethic causes problems then Cook's insipid negative demeanour is equally damaging.  Yet one person is messed around completely and the other is still held as a golden boy because he is a "yes" man.

pretty much sums up my view on this.

[horseplayer]

Cook is improving nicely as a captain in my opinion.

Set some excellent fields in the Windies, not really his fault he has one very reliable and world class bowler to work with and not a great deal else left now.

I find a lot of the commentary around cricket captains baffling, most good captains are classed as such because they have an excellent bowing attack who they can rely on.

[DungBeetle]

It's his demeanour.  Even when we had a top bowling attack I can't think of anything less likely to get a performance out of a team than a group huddle led by Cook.

Cook aside, the number one thing that enrages me about the England setup is the way in interviews they always have to refer to themselves by their schoolboy nicknames.  Cooky did this, Belly did that, Rooty, Swanny, Broady  ARGHH!  No wonder half of them are seemingly undroppable.

[mulhuzz]

There must be Newcastle fans looking at the ECB and thinking 'Jeez, that organisation is a badly run shambles'

I was hoping KP might sign for the last couple of games if he doesn't have any cricket to play. Can't be worse than Gouffran.

[Tal]

It's his demeanour.  Even when we had a top bowling attack I can't think of anything less likely to get a performance out of a team than a group huddle led by Cook.

Cook aside, the number one thing that enrages me about the England setup is the way in interviews they always have to refer to themselves by their schoolboy nicknames.  Cooky did this, Belly did that, Rooty, Swanny, Broady  ARGHH!  No wonder half of them are seemingly undroppable.

Makes you glad Alan Mulally isn't playing anymore.

[TightEnd]

@thecricketgeek

[Tal]

That's all well and good, but the national team in sport is a representative side, rather than the employer. The selectors select and, provided they comply with the Equality Act (or wherever equivalents exist in other jurisdictions), they can select who they want.

The situation in cricket is clouded slightly by central contracts, of course, but KP won't have one now anyway.

Some people will want the best openers, the best middle order, the best keeper and the best bowlers. Others will want some balance in the team. Others will want a team working together and fighting for each other.

The biggest let down for me is how it's been handled. The moment you feel sorry for KP - after the texts, the attitude and the autobiography - is the moment you realise just how badly the ECB have managed this situation. If they'd stuck by their guns a few months ago and said "stay in India; you won't be needed here", I would have supported that.

I'm a believer in team unity, but there is a dearth of test-ready talent in England and I can't honestly believe there's a better batsman not currently playing for England than KP in the context of tests against NZ and Oz. If there were someone else, I'd pick them, but I don't see it. Maybe the selectors do.

I know for sure the Aussies would prefer Lyth to Pietersen right now.

[nirvana]

I'm no fan of KP in a 'wow what a great guy sense' but obv he should be playing for England.

The thing that grates most is the thought that the rest of the players don't have the mettle to speak out on this in an honest & open way

Gonna get abso stuffed this summer, with or without KP, but looks specially silly as it will be without

[Longy]

There is no denying ecb has been a horror show over the whole issue. If anything pietersen has been worse, the autobiography was all about slagging off pretty much everyone involved in the England set up and his rhetoric still isn't about the team it is still all about him.

I wouldn't have him back, the middle order is England's strength at the moment, as a like for like replacement he is an upgrade but not huge one IMO. If he was a fast bowler, world class spinner or opener then that is a different story. Australia would love him to open, he isn't an opener and Lyth is much the better option for that role.

[nellberg]

the thing i can't get my head round is strauss is standing there today saying the ecb will be open and honest, and that kp isn't in their plans. claims its a decision made by him, graves and harrison and they all agree, yet it was barely a month ago graves said to kp " go get a county, score some runs and we'll pick the team on merit". then when this is put to harrison he avoids the question and uses buzzwords to chance the subject. if anyone should have trust issues it should be kp!

[Longy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/kevinpietersen/

[buzzharvey22]

@thecricketgeek

Exactly, and if im paying £80 of my hard earned to watch, I want to watch the best 11 English (people who have an English passport or wife) Cricketers I can. Which is why I'm not even bothering to go to the New Zealand test up here this year.

[Woodsey]

KP's a twat, but the ECB were bang out of order leading him up the garden path like this. Sounds like he can at least go back to India to earn a few quid.

[flushthemout]

Piers Morgan ripped into Strauss on Talk Sport this morning, Ecb is a disgrace, just because players don't get on with each other never seemed to bother Andy Cole and Teddy Sherringham, do your job, get the runs, play to your best of ability. KP is not a womaniser or goes out on the razzle, he is the best we have and we should use him, Did the FA stop Gazza playing for his country?

[Woodsey]

Piers Morgan ripped into Strauss on Talk Sport this morning, Ecb is a disgrace, just because players don't get on with each other never seemed to bother Andy Cole and Teddy Sherringham, do your job, get the runs, play to your best of ability. KP is not a womaniser or goes out on the razzle, he is the best we have and we should use him, Did the FA stop Gazza playing for his country?

Yeah but Poers Morgan is KP's mate, as is Michael Vaughan, those two defend him most of the time.