**Official** South Africa in England 2012

[Jacknife]

Always has been to a lot of the English media.

 

[grecian]

I mean, we did this **** with Chris Gayle and does anyone honestly think WI cricket was better without him? This shouldn't about be egos, pride or anything like that. It should be for the good of the game.

The good of the game, is if he signs a contract he plays for England.

Sheesh, sick of this ****, Cricket will survive without Gayle and KP. It's getting rather tedious, KP saying in the media that things are being dealt with in the media.

Will not be sad if he never plays again, sorry, but I'm just bored of it. I'll take being 4th in the world without primadonas, and KP was a big part of the loss to Pakistan.

Resolve it or GTFO. Not helping the rest of the side IMHO.

 

[wpdavid]

That's my line of thinking, obviously you can't let the bloke do whatever he wants but surely as adults there should be a compromise in all this. Being the Coach of England or any side for that matter is as much about man management and getting the most out of players than it is to train and plan. Like Woodster says though who knows what goes on behind close doors but on the pitch their doesn't seem to be any conflicts or any signs of people not getting along and all we ever here about KP is that he trains harder than anyone else and does what he's told when he's playing for England.

Like I've said before for the good of the game, I hope they can move on from this and it doesn't all end badly.

Given his history, it was always likely to end with a massive flounce though. Ask the good folks in Western Province or Nottinghamshire. Whilst it would have been nice to see a dignified exit after the back-to-back Ashes series, something like this was always on the cards once he became one of the most marketable 2020players in world cricket. imo his talk about 'that changing room' was one of the most unprofessional things I've heard, unless there's things that have been leaked by others that I'm unaware of.

Of course we'll be weaker without him, and of course he's done far more good things than bad for English cricket. But this was always the nature of the man, and it was just a question of 'when' rather than 'if'. Admittedly I'm not in possession of all of the facts, but my first instinct is to side with the guys who have built careers out of stfu and getting on with it.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I mean, we did this **** with Chris Gayle and does anyone honestly think WI cricket was better without him? This shouldn't about be egos, pride or anything like that. It should be for the good of the game.

Totally agree but lets face it it is happening again and neither side looks like budging.

 

[wpdavid]

He has the talent to walk in to ANY team in the world, but as a Saffer, no thanks you can keep him. Like the make up of our team and don't need that kind of spoiling influence in it. Plus the only person who I might swop him for in our top 5 is Alveiro, and after his first innings knock that would be a bit unfair.

But maybe open with Smith and Rudolph

Smith
Rudolph
Alma
Kallis
AB
KP
Duminy
Philander
Steyn
Morkel
Tahir

Actually that's a damn good team.

It is, but wouldn't it be four years until KP qualifies back as as a Saffer? He'll be 36, Kallis will be long gone and probably Smith as well.

 

[Thriel]

South Africa would not easily take KP back, there is alot of bad blood ... He would probly end up paying us to take him back.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Why? He's made it abundantly clear he has no desire to go back to SA.

TBH I think the two sides are just arguing or the sake or arguing at the moment anyway although because we ain't privy to what's going on in the discussions unless someone leaks "info" then all we can do is speculate.

 

[Jacknife]

The most important thing in all this, is Boycott thinks it's all rubbish and he'll definitely play again, he thinks the two side are just posturing at the moment.

 

[wpdavid]

The most important thing in all this, is Boycott thinks it's all rubbish and he'll definitely play again, he thinks the two side are just posturing at the moment.

That's all right then

Perhaps the best thing would be for him to announce that the 3rd test will be his final one, so he'll be determined to go out showing us what we're missing.


And then come back next summer after 'obstacles have been removed' or something similar.

 

[NickDB]

It is, but wouldn't it be four years until KP qualifies back as as a Saffer? He'll be 36, Kallis will be long gone and probably Smith as well.

Not sure about the 4 years to qualify, but even if he did I would think we'd still say no. Just reminds me too much of Gibbs, a great great player on his day that will destroy anyone.

If we could have predicted the days that Gibbs would decide to pitch up it would have been great, he was just too inconsistent. I'd rather have someone who gives 100% 100% of the time, even if that 100% is only 60 \ 70% of what KP and Gibbs could produce.

KP and Gibbs just didn't \ don't seem to be professional enough, talented enough yes, but being professional takes more than just been good. It means you should be able to put petty differences aside, keep internal politics internal and out of the media, and pitch up to do the best job you can every time.

The best job you can also changes depending on the situation. Personally can't stand the excuse "Well that's the way he plays" Stuff that, cricket is a fluid dynamic game that has thousands of different situations, you need to read them and fit in to them.

That reminds me, I should get off here and do some work for a change

 

[Jacknife]

That's all right then

Perhaps the best thing would be for him to announce that the 3rd test will be his final one, so he'll be determined to go out showing us what we're missing.


And then come back next summer after 'obstacles have been removed' or something similar.

Boycott knows all about ego's and England troubles, so he's an authority on the subject.

 

[Thriel]

Why? He's made it abundantly clear he has no desire to go back to SA.

TBH I think the two sides are just arguing or the sake or arguing at the moment anyway although because we ain't privy to what's going on in the discussions unless someone leaks "info" then all we can do is speculate.

Gary Kirsten said the same thing while he was coaching India, and look where he is now. And i didn't say KP wants to come back, I'm just saying if he ever did want to come back i don't think there would be many arms open to welcome him back.

Way to much bad blood with him and SA, and He certainly doesn't have many SA fans, that is for sure.

 

[Jacknife]

Not sure about the 4 years to qualify, but even if he did I would think we'd still say no. Just reminds me too much of Gibbs, a great great player on his day that will destroy anyone.

If we could have predicted the days that Gibbs would decide to pitch up it would have been great, he was just too inconsistent. I'd rather have someone who gives 100% 100% of the time, even if that 100% is only 60 \ 70% of what KP and Gibbs could produce.

KP and Gibbs just didn't \ don't seem to be professional enough, talented enough yes, but being professional takes more than just been good. It means you should be able to put petty differences aside, keep internal politics internal and out of the media, and pitch up to do the best job you can every time.

The best job you can also changes depending on the situation. Personally can't stand the excuse "Well that's the way he plays" Stuff that, cricket is a fluid dynamic game that has thousands of different situations, you need to read them and fit in to them.

That reminds me, I should get off here and do some work for a change

Don't think anyone has ever said that KP doesn't give 100% for England when he plays.

 

[Spark]

I don't know how to evaluate KP's work on-field tbh. I don't doubt that he's perfectly capable of switching it off when he's out there (given how easily he seems to shrug off getting out), but some of his innings lately, whilst sometimes brilliant, are also sometimes... questionable.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I don't know how to evaluate KP's work on-field tbh. I don't doubt that he's perfectly capable of switching it off when he's out there (given how easily he seems to shrug off getting out), but some of his innings lately, whilst sometimes brilliant, are also sometimes... questionable.

The questionable ones seem to outnumber the brilliant ones by a significant number of late though.

I hope and pray it all gets sorted out and he remains playing at least till after the ashes double header. We will be a poorer side without him.

 

[Spark]

Boycott knows all about ego's and England troubles, so he's an authority on the subject.

Over the past year or so I've found that I've really enjoyed Boycott's analysis/wrap-up work. Not heard him commentate in that time, but I like that he tells it absolutely as he sees it.

Just as an aside.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Bopara dropped out of the England Loins match.

Cricinfo's Twatter:

Bopara: "I thought I was ready to return to action but after some consideration I just feel it's too early so won't be playing quite yet"

 

[Furball]

If we take KP's word for it then he's every right to be pissed off. Stuff like he might want to miss Tests vs New Zealand shouldn't be out in the public domain.

 

[Jacknife]

That's the thing though we can say that about all players from every side, batsmen play poor shots and get dismissed. If we look at some of the dismissals by the England players this year, some of them have been unreal.

 

[Spark]

That's true, though I'm thinking more innings as a whole rather than horrible individual dismissals (Bell gets first through to about fourth prize on that front)