posted Aug 5, 2008

power springbok-
I believe most of us are behind KP but it is a choice that smacks of what happened in the Headingly test-I personally think KP is a superb batter and a destroyer of any attack in the world-thats his bag and long may he continue.I just dont want KP broken and up giving up test cricket altogether.As captain he will be blamed for everything and the press love people like him-he sells newspapers.If he wins they will crown him if he loses they will lay into him like no other because he is so talented and still win.Most sports writers hate KP anyway.If you doubt that I would look at the Times today in its editorial-talk about character assassination.

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posted Aug 5, 2008

I think that Strauss should be the test captain and KP the one-day.
They are both IMHO suited to the formats.

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posted Aug 5, 2008

I am not an England supporter (WIndies) and do not have any problems with Pieterson as skipper as his test record speaks for itself. Where i do have difficulties with him is his criticism of the quota system in SAfrican cricket. It is not for him or anybody else (Hello Boycott) to criticise it, because that seems the only way working class black people are going to play for them and let's not forget, it was the Aparthied regime which first said you played for SAfrica based on your COLOUR NOT YOUR ABILITY.

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posted Aug 5, 2008

I think the skipper needs to be someone who knows the team and someone who can control the whole team.

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posted Aug 5, 2008

we have are best player as skip because he leads from the front and the other players can take lead of his excellent and unique style of batting. another reason is tht most of the other main candidates dnt wnt it flintoff,collingwood.strauss they are all happy justgetting on with there jobs

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posted Aug 6, 2008

With all due respect, who else were England going to pick? Strauss nor Cook could have taken the job without attracting the criticism that he's only in the team because he's the captain when he's playing poorly. Bell or Collingwood, consistency question again. Flintoff's fitness a worry, no stable wicket keeper, no bowler that claims the tactical nous needed (Monty, you will understand, is not captain material). Result? Pieterson.

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posted Aug 6, 2008

thats Captain Pieterson to you

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posted Aug 6, 2008

I see that all the nohopers on here who were touting for Key, until it was pointed out sensibly that Piers Morgan probably had as many credentials,have now decided that Strauss(the other saffa)should be captain.Interesting that as only last week everyone on here wanted him out of the team.Lets see who else we can find to replace KP,howabout bungle or zippy or even Mr Geoffrey as it is obvious that this is the level of intelligent thought we are dealing with on here.

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posted Aug 6, 2008

Is Pietersen always England's best player? In conditions favouring fast and/or seam bowlers I'd say Hoggard, Simon Jones (if either ever get picked again!), Flintoff or Sidebottom. And was Pietersen picked because it was thought he was the best player or because it was thought he was the best captain? Or even both? For me there's no doubt Pietersen is the best choice; that doesn't mean he's a good captain, though. I just hope we don't hear Greig-like 'grovel' stuff from him. And brighorientlen (U12800616) is spot-on re Pietersen's views on the SA quota system. I think he's more likely to stuff up when he talks to the media off the pitch than on it, but the media are full of it anyway so I don't care so much about that. What does need to be addressed short-term is who bats at 3 & I think Pietersen should do so himself as Bell is so much better lower down & Bopara is just not up to it. Finally, going back to the last point made by Glosballcarrier (U11223152), what this all says about our Test team is...we're pretty average at best at the moment. Time the so-called 'Barmy Army' faced up to that.

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posted Aug 6, 2008

I have never advocated that Strauss be omitted from the team.He always had the best credentials to be captain (played 5 won 2 loss 0) and his form suffered when, stupidly, they picked Flintoff as captain for the last Ashes series.I also read that somebody reckons Strauss doesn't want the captaincy.Where is the evidence for this?

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