Tbf I don't think they can be accused of doing anything wrong, irrespective of what their intentions were.It's been briefly touched on, but what are we feeling about the role of the Saffers in Textgate?
The leak of the supposedly derogatory nature of the messages can only have come from one side (unless KP is of seriously abnormally low intelligence) so one can only suppose what their motives were for making them public were. It looks like, at best, mischief making and at worst chucking a hand grenade into the opposition changing room and sitting back to admire the carnage.
He's had an OK last 12 months IMO. Rocks and diamonds.Cook is better than KP now. Surely that's not controversial?
You can argue impact player or x-factor and all that, but surely Ali Cook is England's best test batsman and has been for the last 12-24 months?
Diamonds average over 50 I would have thought.He's had an OK last 12 months IMO. Rocks and diamonds.
It has been known to happen from time to time. Must be the alignment of the moon, or something.Green ranger has spoken a lot of sense in this thread.
Also, have no issue with South Africa making those texts public. Good on them.
You don't think it's all a bit "telling tales to teacher"?Tbf I don't think they can be accused of doing anything wrong, irrespective of what their intentions were.
Possibly. But at the very worst I think this can be described as ungentlemanly, and obviously there's no crime in that. If they've basically decided to just rat him out and try and stir up a hornet's nest in the England camp then I suppose you can say it's not exactly a sporting or honourable thing to do. But if KP's been stupid enough to give them all the ammo they need to disrupt the England camp ahead of a crucial test in which they'll be seeking to exploit every advantage they can, you could argue they'd have been foolish not to.You don't think it's all a bit "telling tales to teacher"?
ThisIt's not about KPs average though (even though it's very good as is). It's about how he can change a game single handedly in a way the others can't. It's especially important for England, where a lot of their line-up are basically accumulators. I think his presence in the side is absolutely crucial for the balance of it.
What you say about his ability is absolutely true, I couldn't agree more, but for me it's not the point. He's clearly the most dynamic and game changing batsman available to England. If we measure the strength of the team as a whole in terms of summing up the abilities of all the individual players then it's unquestionably going to be weaker for his absence.It's not about KPs average though (even though it's very good as is). It's about how he can change a game single handedly in a way the others can't. It's especially important for England, where a lot of their line-up are basically accumulators. I think his presence in the side is absolutely crucial for the balance of it.
It's a dire state of affairs when Piers Morgan becomes involved in anything, the man is as odious as they come.England's Pietersen dilemma : Piers Morgan stokes Kevin Pietersen controversy | Cricket News | England v South Africa | ESPN Cricinfo
There is absolutely no way that these people who think they are helping KP are actually helping KP.
Well, I was talking bowlers, you don't think they can change the game in a session, anyway if Cook or Trott scores a double, I guess that'd be a good thing too.It's not about KPs average though (even though it's very good as is). It's about how he can change a game single handedly in a way the others can't. It's especially important for England, where a lot of their line-up are basically accumulators. I think his presence in the side is absolutely crucial for the balance of it.
With one of KPs major complaints being leaks coming from the ECB, not sure you can definitely say that the story about the texts comes from the SA side of things.It's been briefly touched on, but what are we feeling about the role of the Saffers in Textgate?
The leak of the supposedly derogatory nature of the messages can only have come from one side (unless KP is of seriously abnormally low intelligence) so one can only suppose what their motives for making them public were. It looks like, at best, mischief making and at worst chucking a hand grenade into the opposition changing room and sitting back to admire the carnage.
Yeah, I think this is the crux of the matter tbh. Without being there, we really don't know the full extent of what has gone on and how it has affected the atmosphere and so on.yeah I agree Sledger, I was only taking about him on a 'skill' based level. If there are indeed issues with him in the team not related to his actual ability, and that is in same way affecting overall team performance, then yeah it's not on. You would hope though, that as a group of professional athletes, they could overcome those things with relatively little fuss. But it's hard to know just how complicated the problems are without actually being in the squad.