Cricket

[Chazza]

He did admit yesterday that him and KP don't get on but i guess he has heard it from someone stirring it in the background.

Having said that he went onto say that the one time he captained KP for Hampshire he made sure he was involved on the pitch in decisions and that he was as good as gold and not dispuptive.

England should have made him vice captain.

[Chazza]

England captain Alastair Cook played an influential role in the decision to end Kevin Pietersen's international career.

Cook was part of a three-man panel who met the batsman on Monday and told him of their decision.

Although some members of the England dressing room have no issues with Pietersen, the BBC has learned that Cook felt the 33-year-old's departure was in the best interests of the team.

Pietersen scored 8,181 runs at an average of 47 in 104 Tests for England.

Cook, who succeeded Andrew Strauss as captain in August 2012, brought Pietersen back into the England fold after he had been dropped for sending provocative text messages to South Africa players.

But following England's disastrous 5-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia, during which Pietersen was criticised for repeatedly falling to reckless shots, the captain wants to mould a new team with a new culture for the next five years.

Pietersen was summoned to a meeting on Monday with Cook, new England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Paul Downton and chairman of selectors James Whittaker at the Danubius Hotel near Lord's.

That was followed on Tuesday by a separate meeting involving Pietersen's agent Adam Wheatley, Professional Cricketers' Association chief executive Angus Porter and Downton to discuss the severance terms of his 12-month central contract that was signed in October.

On Tuesday evening, the ECB sent out an official press release in which Downton, who had the final say on Pietersen's departure, stated: "The time is right to rebuild not only the team but also the team ethic."

Although there is no written condition that Pietersen will never be allowed to play for England again, it is believed to be highly unlikely that he could ever be recalled.

Indeed, whoever is chosen to replace Andy Flower as England team director is likely to be informed that the South Africa-born batsman is not available for selection.

The decision to jettison England's highest international run-scorer has been questioned by former captains Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart.

Vaughan, who captained Pietersen in the 2005 Ashes success, wants the ECB to explain their decision.

"I really do think the ECB and the people involved have to give us the reason exactly why they got rid of Kevin Pietersen," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"You hear of rumours that he's been a nuisance around the dressing room but it was only last week that Graeme Swann, who's been in that dressing room for the last few years with Kevin Pietersen, said 'yep, in 2012 and the South Africa series, the textgate story, he was a problem, but once they reintegrated him he's been fine, he's had a great attitude'.

"Then England get rid of him on apparently cricketing reasons and that's the guy that scored more runs than anybody else in the Ashes series. It's a sad day for cricket."

Vaughan believes that Flower's replacement should have been the one to make the decision about Pietersen and that the batsman has been punished for speaking his mind in team meetings.

"A new director of cricket will be appointed in April and won't have the opportunity to pick a star player," he added. "They should be making those decisions on their own.

"Kevin will speak his mind. If there's an issue within the side he will go straight to the coach and say these are the things we need to sort out and maybe Andy Flower didn't like what KP was saying and that's why they've got rid of him."
Stewart agrees with Vaughan that Pietersen should have been managed better rather than just cast aside.

"We don't know exactly what has gone on within that England dressing room," he said.

"Dressing rooms are difficult places whatever level you play at. Part of managing isn't just coaching, it's about managing players and situations and not allowing things to come to a head.

"When England were winning we didn't hear too much about KP doing things right or wrong.

"As soon as we lose, everyone's now pointing their finger at KP, and I find that unfair and unjust."

However, another former England great Geoffrey Boycott does not agree and believe's Pietersen's batting at times set a bad example to his younger team-mates.

"We all remember his wonderful innings, but what about the daft things and the stupid shots?" he said.

"That has an effect on the dressing room and young players. How do you tell young players to play responsibly? It stops you from building discipline.

"You can be an individual within the team but you cannot just be an individual He has said this is how I play, take it or leave it. Well they've taken it for long enough and now they've said thank you very much, we will leave it." .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/26046932

[EwarWoo]

Cooks a traditional English player and captain. Weak as piss with no backbone. He needs to **** off not KP.

He's infected the team with his never say live attitude.

Straight back to the bad old days.

[Shaggy]

**** off Cook you cunt.

[Shaggy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/10618396/Kevin-Pietersens-sacking-by-England-is-preposterous-and-we-are-owed-a-proper-explanation.html

Kevin Pietersen's sacking by England is preposterous and we are owed a proper explanation

There is something terribly wrong with the team and coach if they cannot cope with a great player’s quirks

Kevin Pietersen has ben dumped by England and we need to be told why

By Michael Vaughan11:26PM GMT 04 Feb 2014

The England and Wales Cricket Board has to provide a proper explanation about why Kevin Pietersen is no longer an international cricketer. What exactly did he do wrong?

Clearly England feel Pietersen has a negative effect behind the scenes but supporters want to know exactly what he has done to be axed. I cannot believe he cannot be managed or brought into line. In 2012 England had the grounds to get rid of Pietersen after ‘textgate’. They could have moved him on and nobody would have batted an eyelid. But they reintegrated him and he repaid with a magnificent hundred in Mumbai that turned a series and a hundred in an Ashes Test at Old Trafford.

Now they have got rid of him after a 5-0 Ashes whitewash when everyone was a disgrace and it is sad for the game. Cricket does not sell itself and it is going to be a damn sight more boring without Pietersen.

There are a lot of people who owe Pietersen. If you want a dressing room full of clones then good luck. You will beat average teams. If you want to beat the best you need mavericks. Andrew Flintoff was one. I would not be a Telegraph columnist, a summariser on Test Match Special or have other opportunities in media and business without Flintoff. I would not have won the biggest series of all without him. Look at Andy Flower, Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Giles Clarke.

They would not be in such positions of strength or commanding the same level of respect if Pietersen had not come along and won big games of cricket for England. They managed him when it was easy and the side were winning. But you earn your money as managers and administrators in the tough times when you need to give more time and care.

I hope they don’t think by clearing Pietersen out that all of a sudden English cricket will be reinvigorated. There are many more issues I would question in that dressing room.

The team environment should be good enough to cope with someone stepping out of line. If you have strong seniors players and a management group then they can cope with all the silly little things one player does to annoy others. They drown out people acting that way. The big worry for me is the England dressing room has obviously not coped with the way he has behaved. You normally have 16 in a group on tour and within that squad two or three need extra care and extra management. But the other 13 absorb them. At the moment we are hearing only one person, Pietersen, has been difficult (although we don’t know any specifics). The others should have been able to cope with him.

Only a week ago Graeme Swann said there was no problem with Pietersen. He said that since being reintegrated that Kevin has been fine. So who is saying there has been an issue? Was it Flower? We don’t know because he has not done a press conference since resigning. Normally that is what happens. You stand down and say how grateful you were for an opportunity to play or coach England and point things that could change for the better. But not this time with Flower. Silence.

If it was Flower then I don’t think he should have a say any more. He was a great coach but it is not his call now. Move on.

The ECB has to understand that it will take more than binning the star player to turn the team around. The team ethic and philosophy has to change. They have to play a different brand of cricket and remember they are in the entertainment business. They have to improve the way they portray the game through the media. But they have to stay in touch with reality.

It is just a game. When you are in the team it feels like the most important thing in the world. I felt that way. But it is important to listen to people out of it. In four or five years some of these players will look back and think that, for example, Pietersen turning up late or wearing the wrong kit did not lose them a game of cricket. They are not fighting in the army. It is not life and death. But I heard them say last winter playing in the Ashes was like a war. They will realise in time, yes, there should be mutual respect in a dressing room but there are ways of dealing with it so you do not fall so far you have to dump someone as good as Pietersen.

I can see there is a time to move forward and plan for the future but not right now. The Twenty20 World Cup starts in two months’ time, the Ashes is 18 months away and the World Cup early next year. That is a lot of important cricket in a short space of time. What happens if the new director of cricket comes in and says they want Pietersen in the side. At the moment it seems they will be told Pietersen is out and Alastair Cook will be captain. You would want to make those calls yourself.

[Catrin]

In each innings of the last Ashes series Australia set a trap for him by using his giant ego against him. Challenge him and he just can't help himself so time after time he just threw his wicket away. He might be hugely talented but his temperament is deeply flawed and England are better off without him.

[Shaggy]

In each innings of the last Ashes series Australia set a trap for him by using his giant ego against him. Challenge him and he just can't help himself so time after time he just threw his wicket away. He might be hugely talented but his temperament is deeply flawed and England are better off without him.

Clearly has an ego and plays one way and one way only, but despite that and despite being miles below his best, he was still England's leading run scorer in Australia and is still England's best player. I fail to see how England are better off without him.

[Catrin]

Clearly has an ego and plays one way and one way only, but despite that and despite being miles below his best, he was still England's leading run scorer in Australia and is still England's best player. I fail to see how England are better off without him.

That he was the leading scorer is more a reflection on how badly the rest of the team played on that tour. If he was much younger he'd be worth working on e.g. the kind of stuff Steve Peters does. He was planning to retire at the end of next year's tour to SAF anyway. Might as well replace him now rather than watch another 18 months of him getting caught on the boundary trying to hit it out of the ground.

[Shaggy]

I think it is a reflection of how good he is. Outperformed every single member of the team despite being way below his best and coming in to bat at 20-3 every time because the top order were so atrocious.

As pointed out earlier, Lehmann - a strong leader - got Clarke and the divisive/disruptive Watson, banged their heads together, sorted them out and got on with it....with great results. It's what strong leadership does. These gutless cowards can't handle him so they just boot him out. I think it's completely preposterous. Sack Cook.

[Pablo]

Cook Pass Babtridge

[Alex]

I am more of the opinion now its tough to judge from outside looking in.

It seems like a mental decision at the moment. But there has to be more to it that simply unmanageable. Dont think its fair to blame Cook wholly either.

Its said Cook and Giles had a good relationship with him before Australia, so something has had to have happened.

[captainfog]

Sack Cook

[Shaggy]

I am more of the opinion now its tough to judge from outside looking in.

It seems like a mental decision at the moment. But there has to be more to it that simply unmanageable. Dont think its fair to blame Cook wholly either.

Its said Cook and Giles had a good relationship with him before Australia, so something has had to have happened.

They need to come out and tell us exactly what it is that's so unmanageable. And it needs to be something pretty ****ing bad. Not just "ooh he's a bit arrogant". I get the feeling we won't find out, because the ECB, Cook, Giles etc, are gutless, weak and conservative. Unless KP comes out swinging, which I hope he does, I'll be surprised if the truth emerges. The management just can't handle him and, until we find out Pietersen did something pretty reprehensible, I'll think it's piss poor.

[Alex]

Think KP will say his bit, he usually does.

Giles is new to this all, only been limited overs coach for 6 months or so hasnt he?

Just think the reaction to dropping him has been a little kneejerk (I know mine was) and in the cold light of day things might come out differently. However saying all this. If ECB/Cook/Giles come out with a piss weak wishy washy reason then I think we are valid in being annoyed.

[Shaggy]

If ECB/Cook/Giles come out with a piss weak wishy washy reason then I think we are valid in being annoyed.

They already have! The statement is pathetic.