The Ashes

[RichC]

Interesting situation developing with the ECB, Graves it appears is trying to put his stamp on things by being seen to at least consider a recall for KP, certainly undermines Whitaker and his comments about not being part of the plans.

It'd be nice to see players being selected on ability and not on character and if they're liked or not and at the moment I think we need all the help we can get.

[Shaggy]

Cook out for 3 and 5 against Yorkshire

Remember when he used to bat all day and make double hundreds all the time?! Mental.

[RichC]

I honestly think taking the captaincy off him would be a good thing at this point, he's a great batsman when in form but the fallout over the last year - 18 months must have had a negative effect on him. We need him to find his form with the bat first and foremost

[Red_Polo]

He should have had the captaincy taken away so long ago it's unbelievable. It's been hindering him and the team so obviously for so long.

[RichC]

No pressure then.

Colin Graves expects England to beat 'mediocre' West Indies

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/32037349

[captainfog]

Colin Graves is a no nonsense Yorkshireman. He even talks with a droopy Boycott style mouth. He going to sort this mess out just like he did when he took over Yorkshire in 2012. He'll bang heads together and get rid of anyone he thinks isn't good enough.

KP would not be playing county cricket unless he had been given assurances by Graves that he is available for selection should his form warrent it. Bye Bye Whitaker. Bye Bye Downton.

And if we don't beat the Windies it'll be bye bye Moores and Cook too.

[captainfog]

His comments re Cook are interesting

"He is a proven Test player, he is a quality player, I have every confidence in Alastair Cook.

"We have to make sure we protect him, look after him properly and let him concentrate on playing cricket."

You could read that as take away the captaincy burden and let him concentrate on scoring runs.

[RichC]

Yup, something most fans can see as being a good thing; obviously the selectors know best though

[Chazza]

[ame]https://twitter.com/HonestFrank/status/580693838634827776[/ame]

[Alex]

My one issue with KP wanting to get back to England was that he wasn't playing the Test or One Day games domestically and just going for the T20 money.

Good on him for putting his career first this season. Force the ECB to make a decision.

[Chazza]

Kevin Pietersen: Why I will do anything to play for England again

Exclusive: This is not about money - my Surrey wages will be going to charity - and I have no issue playing under Alastair Cook and Peter Moores

For 14 months it has been very painful to think I would never play for England again and my career had come to a sad, premature end.

After all the wonderful days I enjoyed with England, the trophies we won and the runs I scored, I was devastated to end my international career in the manner in which it happened.

But when I heard Colin Graves say that I would be considered for selection again if I play county cricket and score runs I realised I had the opportunity for a fresh start. I have spent three weeks thinking about it and speaking to different people to work out the best decision. I always said this was not about money and I will be donating my full Surrey wage to my foundation.

Even if this does not work out and I do not get back in the England team, I will at least end my career knowing I gave it another shot. I would kick myself for a long time if I walked away now without having a go.

The public support since this all started has been incredible and helped make up my mind to pursue this chance to play for England again. I can’t thank everyone enough for their kind messages and sentiments, both on social media and in person.

I also want to thank Tom Moody and the Sunrisers Hyderabad for being so understanding and letting me take this chance to play four-day cricket for Surrey. It has been a hectic but fun time trying to sort everything out. Surrey are a great club and I have a great relationship with them. I did have offers from other counties but Surrey are close to my heart and Alec Stewart and Graham Ford have been very welcoming.

I will start next week in pre-season training to prepare for our first four-day game in Cardiff on April 19.

A lot of people thought I would not be prepared to put in the hard yards and play county cricket but I will do anything to get that England cap back on my head.

This is just a four-day deal initially because I want to concentrate on playing red ball cricket. I have played so much T20 over the last 14 months that I know I can play that format, but I now need to knuckle down and spend some time in four-day cricket. The way I batted in the Big Bash gave me real confidence and I feel I am playing as well as ever. I am not guaranteed any runs early season but I will be doing everything I can to be in form for when the Test matches start in the summer.

All I am looking for is a fair opportunity to play for England again. I just want a blank sheet of paper and to be judged on merit.

I will be meeting Mr Graves face to face. I think he is open to discussing drawing a line in the sand in terms of what’s gone on. It is something I desperately want. I want to help English cricket going forward. My first choice would be to do that on the field playing for England, but if that does not happen then I would love to help in any other way possible.

It would be great to help the ECB establish an English Premier League Twenty20 competition in the future and use the knowledge I have gained from playing in a lot of Twenty20 tournaments around the world. I know how they are run. I know the good stuff and the bad stuff. I also get on well with many of the best players in the world, the kind of guys we will need on board to make an EPL a success. I also want to help England get back to playing a brand of cricket that we have all missed over the past months.

A lot has been said about my book, but my side of the story had to come out. To make it clear, I never had any issues with Alastair Cook. I said in my book that I was disappointed he could not look me in the eye during that meeting but there is no issue with me. He is a nice guy. He is one of England’s greatest ever cricketers. He has 25 Test hundreds. Of course I can play with Alastair again.

Likewise, of course I can play under Peter Moores. When I was captain last time around, I simply told the board I needed to go out and concentrate on my batting. I felt I could not captain the team at that time but I should just carry on doing what I do out on the field. That is my job.

I still speak to a lot of the lads on a regular basis and I'm incredibly excited about the young talent we have in the side. Those players, in addition to the experienced guys like Ian Bell and Jimmy Anderson, show we have a team that can get back to the very top.

I am in the best shape I have been in for a very long time. Why? Probably because I’m much more relaxed and my fitness regime is just right. Having a year out has helped massively, too, by enabling me to rest my knee.

I feel mentally very fresh and you could see that by the way I batted in the Big Bash. I was totally free and that is how I want to bat for England again.

I look at the way Kumar Sangakkara is playing. He is 37 and still scoring hundreds at the highest level. There are a lot of Test hundreds left in me.
I would love to win back the Ashes for England because it did not feel right ending by being belted by Australia and not having the opportunity to redeem it. There is a chance to do that this summer and I would love to take part in the Ashes again. I am not guaranteeing we can win the Ashes but it would be nice to play against Australia and do it all again.

If that happens then I’ll be able to look back at it with pride and not have the same unhappiness I had when it all came to an end. That would be greatly satisfying for me, my family and friends and the fans who have been so supportive over the last 14 months. I’d love my son to be able to see his daddy play for his country and not have to watch reruns on television.
I am not going to disrespect county cricket by expecting to score runs with ease. Quite the opposite. It will take hard work, lots of it, but I have the hunger.

I might not play well enough to get back in and injuries could strike. I have taken all those things into account but at the end of the day I want to give this a go because I am desperate to play for England again. I do not see any bad coming from it. There is so much more good.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/kevinpietersen/11494067/Kevin-Pietersen-Why-I-will-do-anything-to-play-for-England-again.html

[Shaggy]

[ame]https://twitter.com/CricketAus/status/582679134142218240[/ame]

[captainfog]

They look better than us all over the pitch.

[captainfog]

This would be my side now.

Bell
Hales
Trott
KP
Root
Balance
Moeen
Butler
Jordan
Broad
Anderson

[Chazza]

Graves wants to shake up test matches by changing them to 4 days with 105 overs per day.