Pietersen gah!

[undyingking]

We've been hearing over the last few days about how Kevin Pietersen, the England cricket captain, wanted the coach Peter Moores out of the job. Much talk along the lines of there can be only one winner, Pietersen is in an unassailable position, hugely talented batsman but massive ego, etc etc.

Now it seems that Pietersen himself has resigned as captain. Not because the board refused to give Moores the push -- they actually have done so, or at least Moores has himself resigned too -- but because they didn't do so quickly enough for Pietersen's liking.

Strauss and Flower are looking likely to take over the roles for the forthcoming WI tour.

Jesus H fish on a bike! Why does English cricket keep dong this to itself???

Well, with the other story that Flintoff / Harmison axis hated Pietersen as captain, we were bound for disaster one way or another. Flintoff presumably has little time for Strauss either, as he insisted (disastrously) on being made captain ahead of him last time when Vaughan was injured.

And Australia, who come here shortly for what should have been a very winnable Ashes, have just completed a morale-boosting victory in the third Test. How could things be any better.

Comments

[rotwang.livejournal.com]

I'm still putting my faith in South Africans. Since Pietersen has let us down, hopefully Smith and the others will crush Australia utterly in the return series and force Ponting to retire.

Who can they give the England captaincy to anyway now, who either has not already been captain / stand-in captain and resigned / been feeble or who is not in danger of being dropped from the team (or is already not in one of the teams [test / one-day])?

Stuart Broad for captain?

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Maybe Pietersen is anticipating being able to walk back and dictate his own terms, having crushed all possible opposition?

Mm, I was wondering actually if Ponting might be tempted to resign right now, to give the next captain a run-in before the Ashes. And I suppose Hayden may well retire altogether, before being dropped.

[mr-malk.livejournal.com]

Interesting, I've just posted the same story from the BBC, but in their version, the ECB say that KP was sacked, and did not resign. Could be just a case of egos, in the "He didn't dump me, I dumped him!" mould, but it will be interesting to see what comes out in the wash.

I didn't know about Flintoff and Harmison having issues with KP's captaincy, but I'm not wholly astonished.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

interesting to see what comes out in the wash

Interesting, and I fear maybe deeply dispiriting as it reveals the shambles behind the scenes.

not wholly astonished

It's become increasingly apparent that Flintoff's 'good bloke' image may not be wholly accurate. Too good to be true maybe.

[dr-bob.livejournal.com]

There's a Test match special podcast that discusses the events in more detail. From there it sounded like Peterson resigned so that the ECB didn't have to sack him 45 minutes later.

Still messy, 'though Strauss should be a better (more considered) captain. Only reason he didn't get it ahead of Peterson was that he was out of form. Does mean Strauss gets another go in the one-day side, too. Plus doesn't he (shockingly!) have prior captaincy experience for Middlesex?

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Mm, I would have picked Strauss to captain ahead of KP anyway (and ahead of Flintoff the last time too, but there you go).

My guess is they'd like to go back to Collingwood for the one-days, if he'd be willing to. Apart from him and Pietersen, who else has performed well enough to be guaranteed a place in the side?

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Certainly Aggers says he was sacked (in the usual political sense of being given a chance to resign). Presumably the official reason given was to spend more time with his agent and/or a nice man from the IPL.