5,300 test runs at 47, 3,300 ODI runs at 43, 900 Twenty20 International runs at 37; the numbers don't lie, this man is as class an act as there is in English cricket at the moment and we've got him. Well according to his Twitter feed earlier today in any case.
When the possibility of Pietersen moving to either Middlesex or Surrey was mooted earlier in the season I was against the idea. First because I was disappointed with the attitude he showed towards Hampshire, and second because I thought we'd never see much of him anyway. However now that it seems he is available until the end of the season having been unceremoniously dropped by England, maybe its not such a bad idea after all (I still object to the way he cast Hampshire aside though).
There is a strong chance Steven Davies will get the England call anyway, so he won't be bumping a youngster out of the team and just take a look at those numbers again - Kevin Pietersen is one of the finest talents of his generation, in my mind there is no doubt that he will score runs for us.
For sure England need him to get back into form before the Ashes and although his (now deleted) Tweet seemed to object to the way he'd been treated, I think this could be for the best. He isn't going to encounter the kind of relentlessly top-notch bowling in Division Two of the County Championship that he has in recent weeks and months and in joining Surrey he gets the chance to play amongst a group of young, enthusiastic and lively (if a little hit and miss on the field) players. And Mark Ramprakash.
But England don't just need him to be back in form with the bat, they need him to be in love with cricket again. He said himself that his confidence is shot to pieces and he hasn't looked right all summer. If KP is to go to Australia and flay their attack to all corners he needs to be right technically but equally important he needs to be right mentally. Say what you like about Adams and Hamilton-Brown's results on the pitch but the side does seem to have a good spirit about it. I don't know whether KP needs an arm round his shoulder or if he just needs to enjoy himself again, if its the latter I think Surrey could be just right.
Whatever the rest of the supporters think of us signing him I hope KP is made to feel genuinely welcome at the Oval, whenever he walks out to bat for us for the first time he should get as rapturous a reception as the size of the crowd allows!
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3 comments:
I think you have hit the nail on its head when you talked about him again loving cricket. Since that KP Moores fiasco he hasn't mentally looked right. For the first time ever I saw him not being able to flick even those long hops on the on-side which shows he is clearly short on confidence.
I agree - he needs to realax and love the game again - he also needs to have his ego given a really good spit, polish and rub - so that he is back and ready to go when the Ashes start. Being dropped never hurt Ricky Ponting or Andrew Strauss, it should only make KP better.
Not sure it will solve our lack of an opening batsman dilemma though... Plus I do hope Roy doesn't get dropped for him...
I think it is unlikely Davies will get called up, I think they will stick with Prior.
greyblazer, yep I think the Moores issue did hit his confidence harder than we thought (and probably he thought) at the time, but I think its only a matter of time before he gets himself sorted.
Chappers - the Strauss example is perfect, but he had the right attitude to it, lets hope KP does as well. I think Roy as an opener should be tried, with RHB tomorrow night, he can smash it about, and we've got nothing to lose giving him a go!
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