Pietersen gets the nod

Pietersen edges out Thorpe in Ashes squad

Cricinfo staff

July 14, 2005

(Kevin Pietersen has been included in the squad of 12 for England's first Ashes Test against Australia at Lord's, which starts next Thursday. Pietersen has been included ahead of Graham Thorpe, who has been struggling with a back injury. Ian Bell and Christ Tremlett have also been included in the squad.

David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors, admitted that the decision to include Pietersen caused much difficulty. "This has been the most difficult decision that I have been party to in my time as a selector," said Graveney, "with both Kevin and Graham making compelling cases for selection.

"Ultimately, we have opted for Kevin because of the form he showed against Australia in The NatWest Series and The NatWest Challenge, his excellent first-class career record and the energy and enthusiasm he brings to the England dressing room. We have no doubts that he will be able to transfer his one-day form into the Test arena and firmly believe that he has the potential to become a world class player in England's middle order and a genuine match-winner.

"The selectors do not view this decision as marking the end of Graham Thorpe's international career. He has been one of our most impressive performers with the bat since he returned to Test cricket in 2003 and, subject to form and fitness, he will continue to come under consideration for the remainder of the Ashes Test series.

"We did consider other possible permutations with the batting order. But Ian Bell has made an excellent start to his Test career, is currently averaging over 60 for Warwickshire in first- class cricket this season, and we feel that he has the temperament and the technique required to succeed against Australia. Chris Tremlett made a promising start to his international career with the one-day squad. His selection will give us another bowling option once we have had a chance to assess the wicket and the conditions at Lord's next week."


England squad Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan (capt), Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones (wk), Ashley Giles, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Chris Tremlett. )

this is awsome he will smash a maiden ton in his first innings i hope

Wow. I half expected Pietersen would be selected, but that's tough on Thorpe.

Be interesting to see how Bell fares.

I think England have made the right choice there

yeah so do i pietersen is my favourite player and i am an Aussie

big error

Good move, England. Go for the future, I reckon. Thorpe has done his dash. Although in good form, if he can't physically stand up to 5 Tests, then Pieterson was the logical choice.

Graham Thorpe averages nearly 45 for a reason - he is damned good! England's middle order is just too fragile now and I remain unconvinced about Flintoff's batting. Australia have world class batting down to 7, we now have world class batting down to 5. Australia have to bowl us out twice to win, and this has been made a damn sight easier now.

So we're now to face Australia with only two of our top 7 having played them before, one of whom has been continually dire against them.

My team would be...

Trescothick
Strauss
Vaughan
Bell
Thorpe
Pietersen
Flintoff
G Jones
Lewis
Hoggard
Harmison

12th Man: Joyce or Tremlett

Dropping Giles for Thorpe would have given us almost unbeatable batting depth, and we should not lose sight of the fact that mediocre spinners very rarely have much impact at Lords. Lewis did well on the few occasions he played against Australia and S Jones was treated like a club bowler. Tremlett is unlucky, Joyce deserves to be on the fringes, I prefer Read to Jones but such a swap would cause unnecessary disruption to the team at this crucial moment. The rest pick themselves.

I will be surprised if S Jones or Giles average under 40 in this series.

cant wait to see a massive partnership between pietersen and flintoff

I think I heard Both say he ave: 50+ in fcc.
As an Aussie I always feel much happier when Mr Thorpe is out.

Time will tell

I just can't believe we've fallen for this ridiculous campaign by the Australians to get him in, starting with Warne at the beginning of the Summer and culminating in them letting him get a comfortable 50 on Tuesday.

Pietersen has been a revelation for both club and country at every level, what more could you ask?

Lewis did well on the few occasions he played against Australia

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ONE GAME he did well in when the Aussies were in total disarray and in a 20/20 match no less. Once they started back on track, it was HIM the treated like a club bowler and smacked him all-round the park at 7-per-over on his home ground whilst all the other front-liners bowled well. Notice he didn't get picked after that game? Wonder why?

S Jones was treated like a club bowler.

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You're kidding, right?

2/53 off 10
1/45 off 8
0/28 off 10



And then they took to him with 0/29 off 5 in his last game against the Aussies which they won but geez, come on, LEWIS? Pick Tremlett if you want to take a risk but picking Lewis is just insanity. And not to mention your team has no spinner.............

Unbeatable batting depth won't help you when you have a bowling attack like that, either.

Top_Cat said:

ONE GAME he did well in when the Aussies were in total disarray and in a 20/20 match no less. Once they started back on track, it was HIM the treated like a club bowler and smacked him all-round the park at 7-per-over on his home ground whilst all the other front-liners bowled well. Notice he didn't get picked after that game? Wonder why?



You're kidding, right?

2/53 off 10
1/45 off 8
0/28 off 10



And then they took to him with 0/29 off 5 in his last game against the Aussies which they won but geez, come on, LEWIS?

Click to expand...

Lewis vs Aus 5 wkts @ 18.60
Jones vs Aus 3 wkts @ 51.66

Top_Cat said:

And not to mention your team has no spinner..............

Click to expand...

As I said mediocre spinners very rarely have an impact at Lords. It is surely more beneficial to substantially improve your batting than to pick an extra bowler who will have no impact.

Top_Cat said:

Unbeatable batting depth won't help you when you have a bowling attack like that, either.

Click to expand...

Except in terms of depth, my bowling lineup is no worse than the one selected, and the extra value added by Pietersen will far outweigh the innocuicy of Giles.

The team they selected is far more likely to lose, the team I selected is no less likely to win.

i still reakon they should have played both KP and Thorpe. Flintoffs bowling has been far more impressive than his batting thus far

age_master said:

i still reakon they should have played both KP and Thorpe. Flintoffs bowling has been far more impressive than his batting thus far

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Quite right.

His batting has been about as impressive as Pietersen's (which is enough to displace our best batsman)

This is a very bad decision. It is not about pietersons inclusion but Thropes exclusion. He has been Englands best batsmen for the last few years and would be the first name on my team sheet whenever england need him Thorpe is there. If we find ourselves in trouble whare will the great Thorpe be

Eeee, it vexes me soh to see an Englund player wi' a voice which is a cross between David Beckham's and Tony Greig's. They shud send 'im off tuh David Lloyd fer lessons in 'ow to talk properleh befoore he plays a test fer Englund

That's the problem kendall. The media have ensured that this has always been a debate about Pietersen - yes or no? Hence all he had to do was have some success (Bristol, Oval) regardless of any failures (Lords, TWICE). That almost no debate has been given to how valuable Thorpe is to this England team (a left hander, our best batsmen, the 'glue' that holds the team of Stroke makers together giving them the freedom to play their natural games) is almost criminal. All because he is going to retire at the end of the summer. How important now it is that Bell succeeds, and what a responsibility!

The Pietersen supporters say picking a team for 20 for 3 is negative - they are completely missing the point. It is the knowledge that 20 for 3 is not a serious crisis that has allowed our top 4 to fully express themselves.