Fiiiiiinally!!! I have been saying, since time imemorial it feels like, that England's main man, Kevin Pietersen, should bat at number three. Its the trickiest slot in the order, you have to be able to see off a new ball and play within yourself, or you could have to come in an maintain the momentum built by a substantial opening partnership. You have to be a quality, confident batsman.
That's exactly what KP is for England, he's our most talented batsman and by some distance our most confident batsman! Ok, so Kallis doesn't bat at three, neither does Yousuf or Tendulkar, but I personally think that is due to their advancing years, all of them should bat at three.
So when I saw this Pietersen interview with Lawrence Booth in the Daily Mail, I was absolutely delighted. He's actually putting his hands up and saying he'll bat at three for England. Of course he couldn't just switch there for the Ashes tour, so Andys Flower and Strauss should call his bluff, put him at three for the Pakistan series and tell him he needs to get ready for the Ashes!
Posts
The World Cup is here Again!
1 year ago
12 comments:
Why are you reading the Mail? I despair...
Only for the cricket, I promise. Lawrence Booth used to write for the Guardian, surely that gets me off the hook?!
No. It does not.
Very unfair. I think I've done enough to prove to you that I'm not a right wing bastard!
pieterson offering to bat at 3 - nothing to do with the up-coming bangladesh series and him not getting much of a bat at 4?
no not the team player KP!
Interesting point, hadn't thought about it like that! Don't think anyone's under any illusions that he's a team player though, we all saw that silly run out of Trott in SA!
In the end it wasn't Trott who got out but it was KP who was run out. He can do some crazy things and that is more due to not having the patience but if he wasn't a team player he wouldn't have played knocks like at F'bad, Napier, Mohali, Edgbaston, Oval against India, Lords against India, Trent Bridge and so many vital one-day knocks.
Banglades at home have spinners like Sakib and Mohamuddulah and Shahdat though can be poor away from home yet he can reverse it unlike some of England's quick bowlers. So on Bang wickets which are slow I don't see England always getting great starts.
I haven't seen much to believe that he isn't a team player.
Its not just on the field, I think most would acknowledge that off the field he isn't a team player in the mould of a Collingwood, people have said he doesn't stick around after matches for team meals and stuff. I still think he's an incredible player and he's in our team whatever, he's brilliant, an integral part of English cricket. I just don't think he's a team man, but does that detract from his quality? No way. And I really don't think Mahmudullah is going to cause us problems with the ball, with the bat quite possibly but not with the ball! I bet you he takes a hat-full of wickets now!
If I remember correcly Thorpe on managed about 50 runs not out over 2 matches batting at 5 last time so Pieterson ( I will get 10000 runs ) probably wants his fair share! Even Bell got 200 odd last time.
Ok that was 5 years ago but have they improved much?
Feel like I am popping at KP but hey he is a saffa and not really likeable in any way except he is helpful in winning matches for England.
All of them scored in England but in Bangladesh they are no more pushovers.
Strauss too is a Saffa as is Prior.
They're not really Saffas, just born in SA, Strauss has lived in England for 26 years and Prior for 16, and both have an English parent! I take the point though.
Bangladesh in Bangladesh are a different prospect, they'll be tougher to beat there, but they've still only won one test at home, and they've lost 26, so we shouldn't have too much trouble. But we probably will.
I never said Bangladesh would defeat England but the team shouldn't get complacent as I don't think they would be pushovers.
I mainly said that Strauss being a Saffa because I don't like people pointing to KP lived in SA for about 20 years as whatever it is he played four years of CC and served the qualification period and did well. It wasn't like he came to England and the selectors ran to him and gave him a chance to play for England but he has earned it!
Post a Comment