Cricket

[Shaggy]

jamie jackson @JamieJackson___
Swann on KP: "As I say, I saw nothing while I was on The Ashes tour. His approach was spot-on"

[EwarWoo]

I reckon it says a lot that Swann, who at one point publicly criticised KP, is now defending him.

If anyone was going to stand up and say he's a problem it would be him.

[Alex]

Its clearly all down to this meeting, which Swann had gone home before it happened.

[Vermilion]

Dominic Cork is one big headed big mouthed ****. imo. Proper **** stirring so and so.

[Vermilion]

Its clearly all down to this meeting, which Swann had gone home before it happened.

Aye, who ever called the meeting is at fault too imo, started all this ****e, and a crisis meeting on the 5th day of the 4th test!? Bit bloody late!

[Shaggy]

Dominic Cork is one big headed big mouthed ****. imo. Proper **** stirring so and so.

[Shaggy]

Good listen this. Sounds like Cook was pretty cowardly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/5lspecials

[Shaggy]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/06/graeme-swann-baffles-kevin-pietersen-sacking-england?CMP=twt_gu

Graeme Swann 'baffled' by England's decision to sack Kevin Pietersen

• Spinner said there were no issues on Australia tour
• Batsman 'made huge effort to improve his attitude'



Graeme Swann says he was "baffled" by England's decision to sack Kevin Pietersen and says he witnessed nothing on the Australia tour to indicate why the batsman has been cast aside now.

Pietersen's international career was effectively brought to a close on Tuesday night when he was omitted from the upcoming tour of the Caribbean and ICC World Twenty20, with the 33-year-old all but conceding in a joint statement that it was the end of the line for him with England.

Swann said: "I'll be honest about Kevin Pietersen – myself and several other England players were not exactly members of his fan club during the Textgate scandal of 2012.

"But I changed my opinion of him once he was reintegrated back into the England team towards the end of that year.

"He made a huge effort to improve his attitude around the dressing room. I saw or heard no issues with him in Australia this winter, his approach was exceptional.

"That's why I was baffled on Tuesday when he was effectively sacked as an England player."

The former spinner said he would have understood if Pietersen's career with England had finished after Textgate. "But to go through the reintegration process and then, just 15 months later, discard him for good seems very strange."

He added: "Clearly, Kevin must have upset people enough for the England hierarchy to decide he is no longer wanted. Don't forget we're not talking about a middling player here – we're talking about a batsman of sublime talent."

[captainfog]

Pat Murphy

"As for Pietersen being on the periphery on the field, he asked if he could field in the slips in order to be part of the inner ring, to give advice and encouragement, only to be told that squatting and crouching might put a strain on his suspect knee. He was told he'd be better off patrolling the boundary - and that only added to the impression of a man apart.

"It would seem that reports that a disintegration in his relationship with the captain and team-mates in Australia are wide of the mark."

[Urethra Franklin]

It shows the difference between the English and Aussie set-ups.

Case in point - David Warner. As much as I intensely dislike the degenerate knuckle-dragging simpleton, it is clear that he is going to be a world-class cricketer for years to come.

He is a million miles from the popeye-armed ****ing nobody who got drafted into the Aussie T20 side (not sure if he had even played a first-class match) and belted every cunt to all parts. He looks every bit the test cricketer now, and hasn't lost the aggression, but tempered it.

Now this is a big-hitting ****ing caveman chancer, who has plastered all sorts of stupid **** all over twitter, got on the piss, and even dared to raise a chunky, uncultured hand to our lovely Joe Root.

What did Aus do? Drop him, a sly word in his ear 'sort ya ****ing head out cobber. Keep making the runs in shield cricket'. He returned from his exile a test quality player (opener no less) he must have had some serious guidance during that time. If he was English he would have likely never played another test.

My point is that it is possible to turn a drooling, vacant pseudo-human into a reliable test cricketer. How the **** can no-one handle KP?

[Shaggy]

It shows the difference between the English and Aussie set-ups.

Case in point - David Warner. As much as I intensely dislike the degenerate knuckle-dragging simpleton, it is clear that he is going to be a world-class cricketer for years to come.

He is a million miles from the popeye-armed ****ing nobody who got drafted into the Aussie T20 side (not sure if he had even played a first-class match) and belted every cunt to all parts. He looks every bit the test cricketer now, and hasn't lost the aggression, but tempered it.

Now this is a big-hitting ****ing caveman chancer, who has plastered all sorts of stupid **** all over twitter, got on the piss, and even dared to raise a chunky, uncultured hand to our lovely Joe Root.

What did Aus do? Drop him, a sly word in his ear 'sort ya ****ing head out cobber. Keep making the runs in shield cricket'. He returned from his exile a test quality player (opener no less) he must have had some serious guidance during that time. If he was English he would have likely never played another test.

My point is that it is possible to turn a drooling, vacant pseudo-human into a reliable test cricketer. How the **** can no-one handle KP?

[Shaggy]

Michael Calvin @CalvinBook
Another piece of corporate cowardice from increasingly absurd ECB. Print media and non rights holders prevented from questioning Whitaker.

Jonathan Agnew @Aggerscricket
Whitaker endorses Cook captaincy. Unable to expand on KP situation because of confidentiality clause. Surprised by Flower exit

[Shaggy]

Adam Mountford @tmsproducer
In his interview James Whitaker is asked why KP left out "I'm not at liberty to say" and then his phone rings. Amazing

[Shaggy]

Tim Bresnan @timbresnan
I was in that TEAM meeting and @MattPrior13 said nothing wrong. And only ever has the TEAMs best interests at heart. Undeserved criticism

[Alex]

Im going to rename this thead 'Cricket' so we can have it for general discussions. Seperate tours can have their own thread.