KP to retire from international cricket after 3rd test?

First topic message reminder :

Told TMS he 'can't give any assurances the next test won't be his last'.

Leaves England's already fragile middle order in a big hole.

eirebilly wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Billy,

If an employee came to you requesting change that would increase performance levels would you not give it due consideration?

Requesting being the key word here. Of course i would give it the highest consideration.

If an employee came to me demanding change for the better or they are off, then i would let them leave and then consider change.

There is a huge difference in how to approach people in all walks of life

Was it a demand though?

It was more I want to lighten my workload and the ECB saying it isn't policy.

A demand usually is one of force with one using extreme leverage to gain concessions.

I can't see how the ECB would lose if KP wanted to drop one format of the game.

Him saying his position in the Test side is unclear is merely stating his position. If anything he is non-committed to both outcomes.

After all that, as i said earlier i do believe that the ECB are at fault for not entertaining (so it appears to me) the possibility of change.

Respect is a two way street and right not it appears to me that neither the ECB or KP are giving eachother the respect that they have earnt and deserved.

I dont know the ins and outs of this all but it does appear to me that KP is making demands or he will stop. He did so and then tried to make a U-turn on this.

He may have made this as a request at first and it was brushed away and it may have been a demand but going by what has happened before it seems to me that KP made a flat demand which is why i have drawn this conclusion.

Correct me if I'm wrong but KP wants to play in the IPL which coincides with the NZ series next year.

He then mentions that he wants to lighten his workload.

Something doesn't add up.

To me, KP is pretty much the only player to have had these issues with the ECB to such an extreme and its been going on for years now.

I would simply prefer that he either commited himself to the cause or left as either would be much better than these constant rifts that must affect the rest of the team.

I have read back over the posts and also read a fare bit on websites and the press .

The things i dont understand about all of this

1 The timing of it , why say anything now not wait till after the last test ?
2 Only a few days ago he was saying he wants to reach 10,000 test runs

if the next test is to be his last it will be one hell of an innings

1. The English flag is one of convenience to him, allowing him to play internationally.
2. KP plays for the glory of KP and not the success of Team England.

I kinda think this is the nearest truth.

Nonsense, Biltong.

Why?

The shame of it all is that KP could play for England for three or four more years and THEN retire from Tests and make a fortune doing IPL.
As it is, he could play some IPL and be available for Tests as he did this year.
But if he thinks he can lay down the rules and that he's bigger than the team, then he's mistaken.

I thought KP suddenly going on the attack after tea on Saturday did much to benefit Taylor and meant he was able to ease himself in without the pressure of having to make runs. I reckon he'd thought of that himself too and was willing to risk his own wicket to benefit the team. He did likewise in the second innings.

If it were down to me I'd happily let KP miss the NZ series to play in the IPL if it meant he'd carry on playing test matches for longer. Maybe it does set a precedent but it would only be a problem if another player as fantastic came along that the IPL wanted and again it would be a sacrifice worth making.

I'd also happily let him play T20 and not ODI's if the alternative was that he played neither. Surely that's a "no brainer"?

He's entitled to special treatment because he is a special player. The fact that he likes to be made to feel that way only makes it more important to do so.

Ultimately it does show that KP places himself above England. However good you are, its a team game.

I don't think it does. It shows he puts his needs over those of his employer but doesn't everyone?

I know I do, Hibbz! Hence being on here all day talking cricket with you lot

GSC wrote:Ultimately it does show that KP places himself above England. However good you are, its a team game.

Good show. Let's stick to outdated sporting protocol and replace KP with Ravi or Eion. The would be magnificent. And to helll with the paying public. Those snoots in the ECB don't need our turnstyle cash.....

Our outdated sporting protocol that has taken us to near #1 in every format...

GSC wrote:Our outdated sporting protocol that has taken us to near #1 in every format...

Aah now GSC, dont be bringing that sort of logic to this debate. You should no better

GSC wrote:Our outdated sporting protocol that has taken us to near #1 in every format...

Our out-dated sporting protocol with far more importantly (far, far more in his mind) Big Bad Kev.

GSC wrote:Our outdated sporting protocol that has taken us to near #1 in every format...

Who else have we publicly hung out to dry and leaked a personal discussion to the public? Remind me please, I have forgotten. Funny, how it is convenient to ignore all the other inconsisencies regard resting and formats etc., yet, punishing your best player is the way forward, and seen as good management? Pure bunkum.

Kevin Pieterson is a very good player but to suggest hes the reason we're #1 is a tad silly.

I know.

Though if I was being really silly I could say without his knock on Saturday there's a very good chance we'd no longer be #1!

Its a difficult one. KP is the one player in the England set up who can win games on his own, or completely turn a game on its head, as shown many times and as of against SA.

The trouble is, its the balance between keeping the star man in the set up and then putting your foot down and setting an example to other players that, when your in the England set up and you have signed that central contract, you are required to play every match you are picked in.

Now, I understand if KP wants to earn millions of dollars in order to be economically secure for the rest of his life, which if he plays in the IPL, will become a reality. However, I think the ECB need to stay strong and if he wants to retire let him retire. I'm sure, like Cork was saying earlier, that when he begins watching the ashes from his sofa, he will be kicking himself that he basically held the ECB to ransom.

Also, his interview with Ian Ward was a disgrace imo. The way he played to the camera was cringe worthy. 'where do you see yourself in a years time with your cricket?' 'hmmm, pfftt, its a tough question....i don't we'll see' 'well you've put ona great performance for the fans' 'ahhhh.....i've tried' 'ok well played today' 'yeh...little look at the camera' now that was a load of b*****ks really, got no time for soap opera stuff like that. Wonder who he has a rift with in the changing room as well, anyone have any info?

DouglasJardinesbox wrote:

GSC wrote:Ultimately it does show that KP places himself above England. However good you are, its a team game.

Good show. Let's stick to outdated sporting protocol and replace KP with Ravi or Eion. The would be magnificent. And to helll with the paying public. Those snoots in the ECB don't need our turnstyle cash.....

No player is bigger than the team

And the points about Cook/Trott not playing T20 are a bit irrelevant really. Both would happily play if selected

Yeah, so what? So Pietersen is persecuted for being the best player in all formats? That's effectively what it is. It's not his fault he's the most talented of the bunch.

At the presser KP came out before Strauss and the journos asked him where his captain was and he replied 'I'm not waiting on Andrew Strauss'. There's also the feeling that it may be Strauss who is doing the leaking.

Apparently there are 2/3 in the dressing room that don't see eye to eye with KP, but he isn't the only big ego either. Interesting that him and Bresnan didn't acknowledge each other when passing after KPs dismissal on Sunday morning although I may be reading too much into that.

Anyway, most of that came from the cricinfo podcast.

Edit: George Dobell made it clear that KP demanded nothing from the ECB, he was just requesting.

That's because he had been in the same room as Bresnan about 1 minute before that Wasn't exactly a long vigil!

hodge wrote:

DouglasJardinesbox wrote:

GSC wrote:Ultimately it does show that KP places himself above England. However good you are, its a team game.

Good show. Let's stick to outdated sporting protocol and replace KP with Ravi or Eion. The would be magnificent. And to helll with the paying public. Those snoots in the ECB don't need our turnstyle cash.....

No player is bigger than the team

Agreed. Although Finn, Tremlett, Broad & KP are not far off it.

This "no player is bigger than the team" cliche is so outdated and irrelevant that it's kind of funny. Being the best, and most important player in the team is now a crime, and KP deserves to be shunned. Me thinks some of the jealousy in the dressing room (if there is any) will be coming from those considerably less talented.

Oh, and the ECB are not bigger than the success of the team. Works both ways....

That's the problem, isn't it.

Those that are less talented, less financially well off, less recognisable and less popular are always going to take umbrage to his supposed ego and love of the IPL.

Fists of Fury wrote:That's because he had been in the same room as Bresnan about 1 minute before that Wasn't exactly a long vigil!

Good point!

DouglasJardinesbox wrote:
This "no player is bigger than the team" cliche is so outdated and irrelevant that it's kind of funny. Being the best, and most important player in the team is now a crime, and KP deserves to be shunned. Me thinks some of the jealousy in the dressing room (if there is any) will be coming from those considerably less talented.

Oh, and the ECB are not bigger than the success of the team. Works both ways....

Good points....
ECB / Flower's stands.....almost smack of long dead socialism...even the erstwhile socialist block has moved on from that archaic philosophy.
Ironically England has been a pioneer in capitalism.

Where can I pre-order KP's autobiography? The truth will out and its going to be in there! Think it will be an interesting read when it does come out.

Talk on Twitter today of one of KP's issues being the creation of a parody KP account. I think he feels let down by his team mates that they are following something (although all but Matt Prior have now unfollowed the account) that takes the p**s constantly out of his ego, personality etc.

A lot of people seem to be of the opinion that it is a journo behind the account - some journos have confirmed their suspicions this morning.

It is something that wouldn't affect many people, but there are the more sensitive personas too, and it isn't nice when your personality is attacked. Can kind of see where he is coming from, but showing that it gets to you doesn't always help the situation.

Worryingly, I think there is a lot of jealousy within the England dressing room.

They're possibly just as bored with him as the rest of us, fists.

Fists of Fury wrote:
Worryingly, I think there is a lot of jealousy within the England dressing room.

I think that is very much the case and it was also hinted at by Andrew McGlashan.

Jealousy of what though? Ability, Money, Fame, Crowd Adoration, Hotness of Wife? All of the above?!

VTR wrote:Jealousy of what though? Ability, Money, Fame, Crowd Adoration, Hotness of Wife? All of the above?!

For me, it was his 'skunk' hairstyle......

They won't be jealous of his talent and Bell has a better looking Mrs so I'm flummoxed?

Bell has a hot missus? Just shows what fame and money can do for a man. A hobbit like Bell would take anything he could in the real world!

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93kmuHuwRco/TqZ-hNWxsaI/AAAAAAAADtY/koyFr_DNn94/s400/Ian%2BBell%2BGirlfriend1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://allsuperstars.blogspot.com/2011/10/ian-bell-girlfriend.html&h=400&w=295&sz=25&tbnid=xMPBGY5KsM86XM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=74&zoom=1&usg=__mjYMeWKpkzuE_NLLha7PJeiSPTU=&docid=_mE2Y_Tw58raOM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PkIiUNDdKuqK0AWx94CwDQ&ved=0CEkQ9QEwAw&dur=2741

In other news boyd rankin is to retire from ireland in order to try force his way into the england team. This is a significant blow to the irish team.

Cheers Stella - case closed!

VTR wrote:Cheers Stella - case closed!

Cheers, case of stella open sounds better

The KP getting annoyed over the twitter account thing is stupid, They all abuse each other on there.

Swann:
Been confirmed by umpires that Alex Hales 'was just too ugly to score a 100'. Harsh but undeniably fair.

KP himself posted something about Notts losing by far more if they had Swann and broad.

A lot of you are making it sound like we made it to this point with KP scoring match saving innings like yesterday every game. Yes hes a very good player, but hes not Englands best player by a country mile like you guys to seem to be suggesting.

It pains me to see the importance of KP being so grossly exaggerated. I thought English cricket had moved on from the days when it was "dismiss KP and we will collapse".
The ECB havent helped matters by leaking out information but then I dont want a player who prioritises IPL over Test cricket playing for England no matter how good or "entertaining" he is.
I dont want a player in my team, who constantly moans about the international schedule but is busy making arrangements to play hit and giggle cricket in other countries. Not just the IPL but also the BBL.

Thanks for your services, Kevin but you're annoying me now.

DouglasJardinesbox wrote:

hodge wrote:

DouglasJardinesbox wrote:

GSC wrote:Ultimately it does show that KP places himself above England. However good you are, its a team game.

Good show. Let's stick to outdated sporting protocol and replace KP with Ravi or Eion. The would be magnificent. And to helll with the paying public. Those snoots in the ECB don't need our turnstyle cash.....

No player is bigger than the team

Agreed. Although Finn, Tremlett, Broad & KP are not far off it.

This "no player is bigger than the team" cliche is so outdated and irrelevant that it's kind of funny. Being the best, and most important player in the team is now a crime, and KP deserves to be shunned. Me thinks some of the jealousy in the dressing room (if there is any) will be coming from those considerably less talented.

Oh, and the ECB are not bigger than the success of the team. Works both ways....

The reason I say that no player is bigger than the team is because if you give KP everything he asks for such as playing all the IPL etc, you then have to give that opportunity to everyone else in the team otherwise its unfair. It should be 1 rule for all players, not several rules for one player.

We don't have to worry though, Hodge...nobody else in our team is wanted for the IPL

The IPL don't know what they're missing! We should do a buy one get one free on Cook and Trott for them - any takers

Morgan plays in the IPL, Broad was bought in the IPL auction as were Collingwood, Lumb and Mascarenhas.

You're saying that if England players were told they could all play the whole of the IPL then players like Swann, Kieswetter, Prior, Bopara, Finn, then looking below at Buttler, Bairstow etc, none of them would get auctioned off in the IPL?

Reason Swann etc were unsold were because they had a high auction price and couldn't play the whole tournament. Morgan and Broad were the only current internationals deemed big enough with KP to play with the reduced schedule.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:It pains me to see the importance of KP being so grossly exaggerated. I thought English cricket had moved on from the days when it was "dismiss KP and we will collapse".
The ECB havent helped matters by leaking out information but then I dont want a player who prioritises IPL over Test cricket playing for England no matter how good or "entertaining" he is.
I dont want a player in my team, who constantly moans about the international schedule but is busy making arrangements to play hit and giggle cricket in other countries. Not just the IPL but also the BBL.

Thanks for your services, Kevin but you're annoying me now.

As are the ECB. Compromise in any working dispute is always the best way forward.....