paul downtown. sack pietersen for being detached

[The Breen Machine]

I think the ECB were right to move on without KP at the time they did, but the PR side of things has been a disaster due to bad communication and lack of transparency.

My big gripe with Pietersen was that he would never adapt his game when the situation demanded, it's all well and good saying "It's the way he plays" etc. but as a senior player you should show added maturity and I don't think KP ever improved or matured from the day he walked into the test side in 2005.

It's a risk from England's point of view to discard such a talented player but in all likeliness, in 12 months time there would have been another KP issue, possibly self-made, so I think they have looked at the long term and tried to remove the baggage he carries. He's coming up 34, his body is on the way out and I also think his mind was at times - head turned by the IPL etc. Overall I think it was a brave decision and the right one.

 

[ollie c]

I think the ECB were right to move on without KP at the time they did, but the PR side of things has been a disaster due to bad communication and lack of transparency.

My big gripe with Pietersen was that he would never adapt his game when the situation demanded, it's all well and good saying "It's the way he plays" etc. but as a senior player you should show added maturity and I don't think KP ever improved or matured from the day he walked into the test side in 2005.

It's a risk from England's point of view to discard such a talented player but in all likeliness, in 12 months time there would have been another KP issue, possibly self-made, so I think they have looked at the long term and tried to remove the baggage he carries. He's coming up 34, his body is on the way out and I also think his mind was at times - head turned by the IPL etc. Overall I think it was a brave decision and the right one.

As I said, its not specifically the KP situation which I have a problem with. Its the process and the environment which the ECB seem to have settled for....ie a rather meek approach, with wholesome chaps and a willingness to lose gracefully. It is already sending the wrong message. Now, equally, there is no need to put up with out and out trouble makers - but the ability to manage different characters is central to most successful sporting entities.

 

[The Breen Machine]

As I said, its not specifically the KP situation which I have a problem with. Its the process and the environment which the ECB seem to have settled for....ie a rather meek approach, with wholesome chaps and a willingness to lose gracefully. It is already sending the wrong message. Now, equally, there is no need to put up with out and out trouble makers - but it is central to

I wouldn't say I massively inspired by the approach they are taking either, but that's sometimes what can happy when you ask a good county coach to manage higher. I do think they made the right decision on Pietersen, but that's probably the only right decision they have made overall.

 

[scotch]

They should have just said they were dropping KP, Bell, Prior, Carberry, and that unless they scored alot of county runs they wouldn't get back in. Instead they made all the fuss about KP, making him the scapegoat for the Ashes when he wasn't and was the leading run scorer going on about team ethics etc.. when the fact is the best 11 should be playing based on runs and wickets

 

[badger55]

They should have just said they were dropping KP, Bell, Prior, Carberry, and that unless they scored alot of county runs they wouldn't get back in. Instead they made all the fuss about KP, making him the scapegoat for the Ashes when he wasn't and was the leading run scorer going on about team ethics etc.. when the fact is the best 11 should be playing based on runs and wickets

Fully agree with this post. It may sound old fashioned but why not just pick your best players !
We are copying other Test teams as we pick the best batsman who can keep wicket, rather than the best keeper.
Every expert is now saying pick the best batsman who can bowl spin !
It was rumoured last season that Bresnan got picked ahead of Onions because he was a better batter !
Where does it end ? Woakes in for Anderson, why ? He is a better batter.
Pick a team of batters and we will lose very few test matches, mind we will not win many either.