Kevin Pietersen sacked by England

[MaddAdam]

In a somewhat damning indictment of Pietersen, the ECB claimed the need to "rebuild not only the team but also team ethic and philosophy" was behind their decision to ditch the 33-year-old.

The ECB statement read: "Kevin Pietersen has been informed by the England and Wales Cricket Board that he has not been included in the England squads for the forthcoming tour of the Caribbean later this month nor the ICC World Twenty20 to be held in Bangladesh in March.

"Kevin Pietersen met with Paul Downton, the Managing Director England Cricket, this week and was told that the unanimous decision of the England management, including the selectors, was that now was the time to start the rebuilding process after England's disappointing winter in Australia."

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/04/kevin-pietersen-england-ecb

 

[augiewaz]

I think we can lay claim to ending the career of another English cricketer in one summer.

Wow! What a huge call by the ECB

 

[MaddAdam]

I think we can lay claim to ending the career of another English cricketer in one summer.

Wow! What a huge call by the ECB

We only ended the career of one English cricket - Swann.

KP and Trott etc etc.

 

[Wallaby]

And if England perform badly, he'll be back for their summer. 'Fresh start, mature, new relationship with Management etc'. Hell, if England do well, they'll extend the olive branch - 'Strong new dressing room environment, lessons learned etc'.

These things rarely mean finito. In professional sport, talent trumps all. He was their best batsman in Australia, overall he's their best or second-best.

 

[MaddAdam]

And if England perform badly, he'll be back for their summer. 'Fresh start, mature, new relationship with Management etc'. Hell, if England do well, they'll extend the olive branch - 'Strong new dressing room environment, lessons learned etc'.

These things rarely mean finito. In professional sport, talent trumps all. He was their best batsman in Australia, overall he's their best or second-best.

He'll never play for them again.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Credit to England for making the hard decision. I've said for a while the time would come when the baggage Pietersen brings to the team would outweigh his contribution to the score-sheet, and England obviously feel that time has come.

Makes you wonder again who was Swann was talking about when he mentioned "egos in the changeroom" upon retiring.

 

[MaddAdam]

Credit to England for making the hard decision. I've said for a while the time would come when the baggage Pietersen brings to the team would outweigh his contribution to the score-sheet, and England obviously feel that time has come.

Makes you wonder again who was Swann was talking about when he mentioned "egos in the changeroom" upon retiring.

Apparently Swann went on English talkback and specifically denied he was referring to KP.

Seems more like he was "uncoachable". Fell out with Flower.

Probably would have survived if he didn't have so much form re the texting stuff, his own actions when captain.

 

[Dan Cooper]

I said a month ago in the Andy Flower thread that England should get rid of both Pietersen & Flower and that's exactly what they've done >

England could do worse than rid themselves of both Pietersen and Flower.

Pietersen has been a brilliant player but he has slipped a long way. He got plenty of starts during the series and did very little with them - typical of a batsman in decline. But he certainly wasn't alone in mediocrity.

I still wonder if it was Pietersen who Swann was referring too with his parting comments

 

[the_interloper]

Wow, this is stupid by them, can't believe it.

 

[PTizzle]

Not at all surprising.

 

[JUBJUB]

Piers Morgan has had a meltdown over this.Love it.

 

[red+black]

 

[El Dubya]

Pretty standard decision. Hasn't made a century in quite a while, as soon as his batting dropped you knew his place in the side was untenable. I'm surprised he lasted the entire tour.

 

[Smoooothy]

hmm, part of me is laughing uncontrollably about this, the other part is just plain bewildered

 

[Dan Cooper]

hmm, part of me is laughing uncontrollably about this, the other part is just plain bewildered

Not sure how anyone could be bewildered. His scoreboard contribution is only a very small part of the Pietersen package England have chosen to rid itself of.

 

[red+black]

Pretty standard decision. Hasn't made a century in quite a while, as soon as his batting dropped you knew his place in the side was untenable. I'm surprised he lasted the entire tour.

you're kidding if you think that the decision
a) is due to his form,
b) would even be justified due to his form

His 12-month average is not great, granted, however his 2-year form is quite good. You don't forcibly retire a good player due to form alone. I think we can all acknowledge that.

Will any 'Englishman' ever reach 9000 Test runs?

 

[Outshined]

Oh England, never change.

 

[King Elvis]

We ruined them.

Hehe.

 

[El Dubya]

you're kidding if you think that the decision
a) is due to his form,
b) would even be justified due to his form

Hi average over the past year is not great, over the past two years quite good. You don't forcibly retire a good player due to form alone.

Sorry, should have explained more. The problems his personality brings to the dressing room meant that as soon as his batting was less than spectacular his place would be untenable as his on field contribution was no longer worth his off field distraction and destabilisation.

 

[Taylor]

you're kidding if you think that the decision
a) is due to his form,
b) would even be justified due to his form

His 12-month average is not great, granted, however his 2-year form is quite good. You don't forcibly retire a good player due to form alone. I think we can all acknowledge that.

You might if you're trying to insulate the captain from it, their country gives near-Knighthoods for winning an Ashes series at home, imagine what they will do after losing one.. Now we know, they want blood.

 

[TassieEagle]

Sorry, should have explained more. The problems his personality brings to the dressing room meant that as soon as his batting was less than spectacular his place would be untenable as his on field contribution was no longer worth his off field distraction and destabilisation.

The anti George Bailey, if you will

 

[HBF]

Piers Morgan not very happy at all.

Not surprised they have sacked him, just the timing is a little odd for me. With the world cup 12 months away, I thought they might have hung onto him until then at least. Would be very keen to hear what Mark Nicholas thinks of this - he was only on SEN a week or so ago saying he thought KP still had a hell of a lot to offer England.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Is it me or does it feel like England were never even successful? It's back to them being an embarrassment and us ruining their players.

It just feels really normal.

 

[El Dubya]

Is it me or does it feel like England were never even successful? It's back to them being an embarrassment and us ruining their players.

It just feels really normal.

It's because their victories were never as emphatic. The only time they won as underdogs was the 2005 Ashes series, every other time they've scraped together a win against fairly weak Australian teams. This time they were favourites and were outplayed in every facet of the game.

 

[Outshined]

The best part about this is Morgan's meltdown.

https://twitter.com/piersmorgan