Cricket Thread

[prinnysquad]

KP is just far too irresponsible to lead in a five day game. Captains need to be aware of the match situation at all times, and he's played too few individual innings that reflect this quality, never mind guiding an entire team through various situations over 5 days.

It's hypothetical and I don't know how well he'll do, but it's just the way I see it at the moment.

I still think he's a showpony - someone who goes for unnecessary, stupid shots in a blaze of glory and gets out because of it. Far too many times he gets himself out rather than is got out. There's no doubting his talent but his temperament is a lottery.

He is very destructive and exciting, maybe the world's best in that department (though Andrew Symonds, Afridi, Sehwag and Dhoni will dispute that), and that may work in the one day games, but in test cricket it's no good.

Would he even get in a world 11? He's middle order, and I wouldn't put him above Kallis, Ponting, Dravid, Hussey and the other 3 or 4 above him in the world rankings. He hasn't even made the top ten batsmen in ODIs, currently at 13. England's only bone fide world class player and I wouldn't pick him over that lot on current form.

He'll always be a showpony to me until he harnesses all of that talent in a measured, decisive style matched with a good temperament. He's a winner on his day but he always looks really cheesed off with himself when he gets out in needless fashion. He DID get out on 94 and the match situation was vital - we needed to bat out til at least a lead of 350 (and so it proved), yet he still went for the glamour. A captain needs to appreciate situations like this, he didn't. It's a big jump to say that he would as a captain.

[Nu-Eclipse]

KP is just far too irresponsible to lead in a four day game. Captains need to be aware of the match situation at all times, and he's played too few individual innings that reflect this quality, never mind guiding an entire team through various situations over 4 days.

It's hypothetical and I don't know how well he'll do, but it's just the way I see it at the moment.

I still think he's a showpony - someone who goes for unnecessary, stupid shots in a blaze of glory and gets out because of it. Far too many times he gets himself out rather than is got out. There's no doubting his talent but his temperament is a lottery.

He is very destructive and exciting, maybe the world's best in that department (though Andrew Symonds, Afridi, Sehwag and Dhoni will dispute that), and that may work in the one day games, but in test cricket it's no good.

Would he even get in a world 11? He's middle order, and I wouldn't put him above Kallis, Ponting, Dravid, Hussey and the other 3 or 4 above him in the world rankings. He hasn't even made the top ten batsmen in ODIs, currently at 13. England's only bone fide world class player and I wouldn't pick him over that lot on current form.

He'll always be a showpony to me until he harnesses all of that talent in a measured, decisive style matched with a good temperament. He's a winner on his day but he always looks really cheesed off with himself when he gets out in needless fashion. He DID get out on 94 and the match situation was vital - we needed to bat out til at least a lead of 350 (and so it proved), yet he still went for the glamour. A captain needs to appreciate situations like this, he didn't. It's a big jump to say that he would as a captain.

Is correct.

KP needs to instill discipline in his game to harness his undoubted talent (and surpress his supreme ego/arrogance), and there's no guarantee that the England captaincy would do that (indeed, it might even inflate his already considerable ego to a possible detriment of his batting), but there honestly doesn't appear to be anybody else, and that's a damning indictment on the English game.

Cook = Possibly a future England captain, but needs to regain the ability to make centuries. He's recently got into a frustrating habit of only making 50s and 60s, which isn't the worst, but you need a little bit more from your openers.

Strauss = Would be a case of same old, same old. Not even in the One Day side - England need one man to captain both sides. Vaughny for Tests & Colly for ODIs was a disaster, tbh.

Flintoff = A fit and firing Freddie would've meant that this discussion probably wouldn't be happening. But Freddie's got to bring consistent form and good health to the table first.

Key = A curious one. Been doing the business at county level with Kent, but didn't exactly pull up any trees when he appeared for England in the past, iirc.

[prinnysquad]

I'm not adverse to Big Rob getting the gig, but is it likely that a player who hasn't sniffed England for quite a while would walk straight in as captain? Shame really as I rate him.

[NW2013]

I like to call him Kevin PIEterson.

[MonkeySteve]

Sheesh, at least give the guy a chance to captain before you write his obituary. Yes he can be rash sometimes, but that's true of any destructive batsman - Dhoni and Gayle are two that immediately spring to mind. I'm sure he's well aware of the extra responsibility that bestows a captain, so let's just see, yeah?

And for those that knocked him for his 94 on Friday - don't forget that it was his 158 in the final test of the 2005 Ashes, gained in even more testing circumstances, that got us the draw we needed. He played the wrong shot (who hasn't) but I don't believe all this rubbish that he only plays for himself.

Anyhoo, I'm off to the Oval on Saturday (weather permitting) to hopefully see a successful start to his reign.

[VR46]

Anyone followed the First Test ? amazing comeback by India, felt we should have got a 425 lead before declaring, though looks like it would have made sod-all difference. Going to be a very tough tour.

[merf]

well we can't win it now can we, I thought it was only a 2 test series ?

pretty poor on what looked a deteriorating surface to give up the 3rd or 4th biggest ever 4th innings run chase.

I thought the declaration was premature, you never know what extra pressure 20/30 runs could have made.

I suspect the best team won though.

[VR46]

You are right, two Tests only, second one starts this Friday.

Thought there was a third Test between Xmas and New Year, but I was wrong.

One Day and Test Whitewash here we come.

[VR46]

As much as I rate Pieterson, he's put his balls on the line

"Pietersen gave an ultimatum to the ECB saying 'sack the coach or I go'," BBC sports editor Mihir Bose told 5 Live.

and had them chopped off

"The ECB has said 'we value you as captain but we don't take dictation from you'. So they accepted his ultimatum and he has suffered."

Bose added: "Moores' position has become untenable so he goes.

Now we just need the ECB to be sacked and it'll all be sorted lol. What a mess.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7815038.stm

[Cuber001]

Any news on any games coming out for 360/PS3? The Ashes are not too far away and besides watching another 5-0 defeat i would like to relive it as well.

[MonkeySteve]

Like the 5-0 defeat McGrath predicted in 2005?

I think it'll be close this year, could go either way. The Aussies are clearly in transition, but still dangerous...we're getting towards a strong, fairly settled team, but off field debacles are threatening to ruin everything. I can't wait though; got tickets for Cardiff - bring it!

Oh, as for games upcoming...haven't heard anything. Get yourself Brian Lara on the 360 though - couple of years old, but plays a good game of cricket.

[VR46]

Don't think Brian Lara sold that well so don't expect a follow up any time soon.

As for the Ashes, if we play well could easily go our way, honestly feel the Australians will pip us to the series win though. Good weather permitting of course - give me odds on five draws anyone.

[Cuber001]

Like the 5-0 defeat McGrath predicted in 2005?

I think it'll be close this year, could go either way. The Aussies are clearly in transition, but still dangerous...we're getting towards a strong, fairly settled team, but off field debacles are threatening to ruin everything. I can't wait though; got tickets for Cardiff - bring it!

Oh, as for games upcoming...haven't heard anything. Get yourself Brian Lara on the 360 though - couple of years old, but plays a good game of cricket.

No, the 5-0 prediction he had in 06/07

I agree we are in a transition period and our losses to both South Afrika and India prove this. However hopefully by the time the ashes are here, Shaun Tait is fit for test playing, Stuart Clark is not injured and and a few new blokes settle in. The only downside is now we have lost Hayden as well as he retired so that will hurt us as well.

Shame as (its called Ricky Ponting in Australia) was a fantastic game.

[MonkeySteve]

Ahem, yes, I was glossing over the last series

SA v Australia next month should be another good series - SA looked in better shape in the previous series, but they are now without Graham Smith, so who knows. Will certainly be a good warm-up for the Ashes anyway.

Good weather permitting of course - give me odds on five draws anyone.

Don't, I'm genuinely worried about our summer weather these days. I went to two test days last summer (NZ & SA) and both were rained off after only a handful of overs

[Shoju]

No, the 5-0 prediction he had in 06/07

I agree we are in a transition period and our losses to both South Afrika and India prove this. However hopefully by the time the ashes are here, Shaun Tait is fit for test playing, Stuart Clark is not injured and and a few new blokes settle in. The only downside is now we have lost Hayden as well as he retired so that will hurt us as well.

Australia have lost an awful lot of major players (many of whom will go down as legends) in the last 4 years or so (Steve Waugh, Damien Martyn, Warne, McGrath, Langer, Gilchrist, Gillespie and Hayden). Even some of the good backup players have gone like McGill, Hogg and for the moment at least Stuart Clark.

It's gonna be a very different Australian side for the ashes this summer. The biggest difference though without Warne and McGill will be that they won't have the absolute dominance in the spin bowling department that have had for the last 16 years.