***Official*** South Africa in England

[zaremba]

Pietersen is one of the most amazing attacking players, and one of the best performers when it matters most, that I've ever seen.

There's a chance he'll get better too. But even if he just stays as good as he is for the rest of his career then he will (or should) be looked at in retrospect as having been a great player. And my view is that we should try to appreciate great players when they're playing rather than in retrospect.

 

[Richard]

The thing about Pietersen is that he has had no crazy purple patches or slumps. They showed a stat today that his worst run over a 10 match period produced an average of 35, would be interested in seeing his best, would expect it to be around 60. The man is consistent, which is perhaps not what we would have expected him to be.

IIRR Vivian Richards' worst run (last rites of his career excluded) produced a very similar average, at a time when I'm told he was suffering from an eye infection of some sort.

 

[zaremba]

The thing about Pietersen is that he has had no crazy purple patches or slumps. They showed a stat today that his worst run over a 10 match period produced an average of 35, would be interested in seeing his best, would expect it to be around 60. The man is consistent, which is perhaps not what we would have expected him to be.

Interesting.

And his 50s-to-100s conversion rate (56%) is bettered only by Bradman and Headley (and, with fewer centuries, Ashwell Prince).

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, feel blessed to watch Pietersen, he must now be discussed as one of the best England batsmen of the last 25 years.

 

[zaremba]

Without a doubt. At their respective peaks, and in batting order:

Gooch
Vaughan
Gower
Pietersen

And that's all I can think of. Maybe Chris Nash and Andrew Hodd also

 

[Goughy]

Without a doubt. At their respective peaks, and in batting order:

Gooch
Vaughan
Gower
Pietersen

And that's all I can think of. Maybe Chris Nash and Andrew Hodd also

Chips down and picking a team to represent me, Id take Robin Smith over Vaughan

 

[zaremba]

Chips down and picking a team to represent me, Id take Robin Smith over Vaughan

How could I forget the Judge?

His 167* against Australia in 1993 was one of the most awesome things I've watched. I saw highlights of him batting v the Windies the other day. I'd forgotten how fearsome his legendary square cut ("struck like the crack of doom") really was. What a man.

He could be a bit iffy against spin though.

 

[Beleg]

was broad trying to emulate geoff allot earlier?

 

[Furball]

Was thinking today that the captaincy isn't likely to affect KP's batting in a negative way.

Throughout his England career, he's been under pressure to deliver. At various times, at least one of Collingwood, Bell, Vaughan, Strauss, Cook and Flintoff has been woefully out of touch, meaning that Pietersen has been expected to lift England from a slump.

He's responded in those pressure situations, more often than not.

His 3 significant innings this series have all come in the middle of batting collapses.

He's been living with the pressure of the expectancy to deliver for near enough his entire international career. The "pressure" of captaincy will be like water off a duck's back.

 

[pup11]

Good character shown by England in this game so far, got to say this, that this English side has looked like a confident bunch under KP, and KP too marked his arrival into the field of captaincy with a brilliant composed century, but again it was disappointing to see England's lower-order collapse the way it did, Flintoff just isn't good enough a batsman to be batting in the top 6, and that's something that the English camp should have worked out by now, anyways it was also sad to see Harmy stranded on 49, superb comeback from him, showed real hunger and desire to perform and he did quite well too.

 

[tooextracool]

How could I forget the Judge?

His 167* against Australia in 1993 was one of the most awesome things I've watched. I saw highlights of him batting v the Windies the other day. I'd forgotten how fearsome his legendary square cut ("struck like the crack of doom") really was. What a man.

He could be a bit iffy against spin though.

Remember that innings fairly well, still is one of the best counterattacking ODI innings I have ever seen. Also remember his 75 in the Wills world cup in 96 where he took Waqar Younis apart. Was hoping for one of them to get out at the time so that I could watch Hick bat, but it triggered a major collapse and England lost both games. Shame, he could and should have played much more ODI and test cricket even with his glaringly obvious weakness against spin but I guess Atherton was responsible for his non-selection thereafter.

 

[Langeveldt]

I reckon England should give the captaincy to Darren Pattinson when they play the Aussies..

 

[Precambrian]

Pressure? If there was a better time for KP to take the mantle, show me! A dead rubber, no great expectations, a complacent opposition, but anyways he was due for a 100, wasn't he? Well played!

 

[zaremba]

Pressure?

I think so...

- 1st game as captain of England
- Playing a home Test under a merciless media spotlight
- Against the country he controversially left behind
- Against the captain (Smith) he branded a muppet
- Facing a very difficult programme of cricket in his first year in charge

And lo and behold he delivers with yet another Test century

 

[pasag]

England should have done a lot better than that. From what I saw conditions weren't too difficult and if KP would have been caught earlier, the lead may have been a lot slimmer than what it is now. Was expecting 400+ once KP had gotten in and it really goes to show as has been said time and time again that you can't play 5 batsman.

Basically England have replaced a batsman with a crap bowler who has contributed nothing. Great work.

 

[Goughy]

Pressure? If there was a better time for KP to take the mantle, show me! A dead rubber, no great expectations, a complacent opposition, but anyways he was due for a 100, wasn't he? Well played!

I think so...

- 1st game as captain of England
- Playing a home Test under a merciless media spotlight
- Against the country he controversially left behind
- Against the captain (Smith) he branded a muppet
- Facing a very difficult programme of cricket in his first year in charge

And lo and behold he delivers with yet another Test century

Both valid.

KP has a lot of pressure just by being KP against SA but, given his history, baggage and opponent, there is probably no easier time to take over.

 

[Briony]

I think so...

- 1st game as captain of England
- Playing a home Test under a merciless media spotlight
- Against the country he controversially left behind
- Against the captain (Smith) he branded a muppet
- Facing a very difficult programme of cricket in his first year in charge

And lo and behold he delivers with yet another Test century

As I said, SA got rid of the wrong man. How galling for their fans to have that muppet, fat, Smith leading them when KP has already shown his greatness. Head to head he's eaten he had devoured his clueless opposite, spat him out and delivered humilation. What a sad day for SA to lose KP and retain the muppet. And he's proven this test he really is a muppet. Bad decisions at the toss, poor field placing, allowing a tailender to make hay, a poor technique (yet again) against swing. It was McKenzie's turn to take first way anyway and the muppet failed to remember that. I hate watching Smith play he's so ordinary. Please don't allow him to come to Australia this summer. I want a competitive series, not yet another bout between the exellent Punter and our team and a big-talking, non-performing fat skipper like Smith. Please let us be spared!!!!

 

[Briony]

Maybe - I'd just prefer to see tailenders knocked-over cheaply so the batsmen get batting again.

I prefer to watch a batsman batting properly than a tailender, however the tailender bats.

SA is poor when it comes to knocking over tailenders. I recall Hussey and McGrath putting on over hundred against us and have seen other tailender over the past few years taking the game away from them. They need to find someone who can dismiss the tail more cheaply than they do. And in contrast to England they have nobody who swings the ball. Their attack is too one-dimensional.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Ban.

 

[Precambrian]

I think so...

- 1st game as captain of England
- Playing a home Test under a merciless media spotlight
- Against the country he controversially left behind
- Against the captain (Smith) he branded a muppet
- Facing a very difficult programme of cricket in his first year in charge

And lo and behold he delivers with yet another Test century

Always the Lion at Oval and at HOME,

Had he done this when the series was alive, now when there's hardly anything but just individual glory and pride to lpay for here comes a KP century. Good for him. Let the guy play some worthwhile innings in the subcontinent. Let him improve on his away average of 40. Then let's see.