The Official Cricket Thread

[RobbieOR]

England are a poorer team without Pietersen. I know people dont like him, as he seems a bit of a twat, but over the past 7 years he's been one of the best batsmen in the World and has been key in England winning three Ashes Series and a Twenty20 World cup. If I was an England fan I'd want him to stay.

 

In other news, Boyd Rankin has decided to retire from playing with Ireland so he can play Tests for England. Cant fault his logic but the ICC need to stop the ruling of changing countries. It's stupid and we're losing our best players because of it.

[lifetime fan]

England are a poorer team without Pietersen. I know people dont like him, as he seems a bit of a twat, but over the past 7 years he's been one of the best batsmen in the World and has been key in England winning three Ashes Series and a Twenty20 World cup. If I was an England fan I'd want him to stay.

 

In other news, Boyd Rankin has decided to retire from playing with Ireland so he can play Tests for England. Cant fault his logic but the ICC need to stop the ruling of changing countries. It's stupid and we're losing our best players because of it.

 

 

The ICC don't give a shit about Ireland mate (not saying that's right, far from it), just look at the way they treated you after the last world cup.

 

The ICC (read India/sub continent teams) will do what's best for them not cricket.

[RobbieOR]

The ICC don't give a shit about Ireland mate (not saying that's right, far from it), just look at the way they treated you after the last world cup.

 

The ICC (read India/sub continent teams) will do what's best for them not cricket.

 

Exactly. The World Cup debacle was a shamble but we got our wish in the end. With the right funding we arent that far away from test cricket. They wont listen to us though.

[Jairzinho]

You can have Kevin Pietersen.

[s(k)aturation]

The ICC don't give a shit about Ireland mate (not saying that's right, far from it), just look at the way they treated you after the last world cup.

 

The ICC (read India/sub continent teams) will do what's best for them not cricket.

 

The ARE cricket.

So expect more T20 hit and giggle, lads.

And no third umpire referrals in Indian Test Matches... got to give their Bollywood-paid prima donnas an excuse to complain about losing Tests, outside of laziness, lack of fitness, political factionalism and selfish individualism rather than team play.

[Vincent Vega]

Pietersen really is a thin-skinned twat, definitely sounds like something Swanny would be involved in:

 

BBC Sport - Kevin Pietersen Twitter account link denied by England players

 

 

Kevin Pietersen Twitter account link denied by England players

 

The England team have denied having any involvement with a Twitter account that acts as a parody of Kevin Pietersen.

 

On Monday, Pietersen said he may retire from Tests and there are "points I'm trying to sort in the dressing room".

 

Reports on Wednesday suggested Pietersen believes some of his team-mates are behind the account, which pokes fun at the 32-year-old.

 

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said: "The players have all been asked if it's them and have said 'no'."

 

A "KP Genius" tweet said: "This account has no connection with Kevin Pietersen or any of his team mates."

 

England off-spinner Graeme Swann tweeted on Wednesday evening: "The KP parody account has nothing to do with me. It's obvious, only one in four are funny."

 

Even though the identity of who is behind the account is unknown, Pietersen is still thought to be unhappy that some members of the squad have followed and engaged with it.

 

Many of the tweets from the account have been sent while Test matches have been in progress, while players have restricted access to mobile phones and the internet during this time as part of International Cricket Council regulations to guard against corruption.

 

Indeed, a tweet from the account, which has seen the number of its followers more than double since Pietersen's chagrin emerged, said: "It doesn't take that woman from 'Murder She Wrote' to work out that this isn't a team mate of KP. I've been tweeting during Tests!"

 

After being named man-of-the-match for his 149 in the second Test against South Africa at Headingley, Pietersen refused to confirm that the third and final match against the Proteas at Lord's would not be his last.

 

The threat of retirement comes as part of an ongoing rift with the England and Wales Cricket Board, which surfaced when the Surrey man quit limited-overs internationals in May.

 

His retirement from the shorter forms of the game came after the ECB rejected his desire to play Twenty20 but not one-day international matches and, at present, looks set to rule Pietersen out of England's defence of their World Twenty20 crown in Sri Lanka in September.

 

However, it emerged in June that Pietersen would be willing to make himself available for all three forms of the game if he was granted permission to play in the whole of next year's Indian Premier League (IPL), which would mean missing England's two home Tests against New Zealand.

 

Of the ECB's current stance not to allow him to play in the World T20 or the whole of the IPL, Pietersen said: "That is two of many points and they are not the main two points.

 

"There are other points that I'm trying to sort out in the dressing room.

 

"The politics is what I have to deal with personally. It's tough being me and playing for England, it's tough."

 

While at the time it remained unclear what dressing-room issues Pietersen was referring to, it seems the parody Twitter account is the source of some of the discontent.

 

Pietersen parodied

 

Some of the tweets posted by 'KP Genius', the unofficial Twitter account parodying Kevin Pietersen

 

"People who say Test cricket is the pinnacle haven't played IPL in front 80,000, slapping Indian medium pacers about at a 141% strike rate." (7 August)

 

"Plenty of bonus for KP this Test. Ton bonus, wkt bonus (x4), MoM bonus + genius bonus. That's more cash than the average human can count." (6 August)

 

"Note to ex-pros. Make sure you're better than KP before you have a pop. Which means unless you're Don Bradman, keep your mouth shut." (30 July)

 

Analysis

Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent

 

"He [Pietersen] believes that one or more of the England players are behind this spoof account. The players have all been asked if it's them and have said 'no'.

 

"They have said 'hang on, a lot of this stuff is coming out when we're on the field, we're not allowed to have our phones, it's not us'.

 

"He's also miffed that a lot of the players follow this spoof account and it's pretty clear that some of the players read out these tweets, possibly in Kevin's presence, and he's not happy. He wants to know who it is and he wants to stop it going on."

[Yozzer]

In other news, Boyd Rankin has decided to retire from playing with Ireland so he can play Tests for England. Cant fault his logic but the ICC need to stop the ruling of changing countries. It's stupid and we're losing our best players because of it.

 

Don't know why he has done that as he's very unlikely to get into the team.

[Spy Bee]

You can get apps that you can post tweets on and publish at a specified time.

[lifetime fan]

You can get apps that you can post tweets on and publish at a specified time.

 

 

Shit!

 

 

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Meanwhile Durham are hammering Surrey in their crunch championship match. Surrey are 69/5 in their second innings, still 112 behind Durham's first innings lead. A Durham win could see them leapfrog both Lancs and Surrey and maybe Worcestershire depending on their result. Going to be nervy time for all teams going into the last 4 matches (5 for Surrey and 6 for Worcestershire.)

[RobbieOR]

Don't know why he has done that as he's very unlikely to get into the team.

 

You never know, few injuries might push him up the pecking order. He's been playing for the England Lions over the past year or so too so that will help him.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Durham beat Surrey by an innings and 37 runs, get in. Now 4th from bottom but tight as between the bottom 4 teams. Plus there's a few huge games coming up involving the bottom 4 teams against each other.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

England move top of ICC one-day international rankings for the first time.

 

BBC Sport - England move top of ICC one-day international rankings

[Yozzer]

You never know, few injuries might push him up the pecking order. He's been playing for the England Lions over the past year or so too so that will help him.

 

He has Tremlett, Onions, Dernbach, Woakes, Finn, Shahzad all ahead of him and they're just the backups. Seems the wrong decision for him, I do agree that ICC should stop it though.

[Vincent Vega]

Final straw?

 

 

 

Kevin Pietersen sent text messages to South African rivals during second Test | Mail Online

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: KP text alert! Pietersen sent messages to opposition during Test

By Lawrence Booth

 

PUBLISHED: 23:03, 9 August 2012 | UPDATED: 09:07, 10 August 2012

 

Kevin Pietersen has risked further damaging his relationship with England after it emerged he sent text messages to members of the South Africa team during the Headingley Test.

 

News of his fraternisation with the tourists will infuriate coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss as they attempt to avoid yet more distractions ahead of next week’s third Test at Lord’s.

 

The text messages — reportedly sent to fast bowler Dale Steyn and wicketkeeper AB de Villiers — contained ‘less than flattering comments’ about Strauss and his team-mates.

 

England must win the game if they are to maintain their position at the top of the world rankings.

 

South Africa’s manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee attempted to play down the matter, telling Sportsmail: ‘I can confirm that text messages were sent but they contained friendly banter between guys who have played with each other in the past.’

 

Steyn is a former team-mate of Pietersen at Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, while De Villiers has played for Delhi Daredevils, Pietersen’s current IPL side.

 

Both men are said to be embarrassed that Pietersen — who has complained of dressing-room ‘politics’ and warned he could quit international cricket after the Lord’s Test — made contact with them during a game England needed to win to keep alive hopes of victory in the three-match series.

 

The texts followed an incident on the opening morning of the Headingley Test, when Pietersen upset team-mates by mingling with the South Africa players as both sides warmed up on the outfield before play.

 

The ECB declined to comment on Thursday night.

[Jairzinho]

Final strau, surely?

[TheBitch]

KP. Awesome cricketer. And a bit of a knob.

 

Be funny if the parody account was Swanny, but gotta love his thinking of it not being him because only 1 in 4 is funny.

[lifetime fan]

Really wouldn't be surprised if Flower bombed him out after this test, and Kev wouldn't be able to say a thing.

 

Pity the prick's gob is as big as his talent.

[Spy Bee]

He would never play for England again for me. If you are not part of the team you are against the team.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

When he is booted out of all forms playing for England you just know he will sell his gobshite stories to the press.

[lifetime fan]

And prove Flower right to fuck him off.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

And prove Flower right to fuck him off.

 

Aye, KP is a fool to himself. Massive talent but thinks he is above the team he plays for. He could have retired with the same esteem as Botham and Flintoff are held in, instead he'll be forgotten about apart from when they mention stats. Hope to fuck Sky don't sign him up as a commentator.

[Jairzinho]

Aye, KP is a fool to himself. Massive talent but thinks he is above the team he plays for. He could have retired with the same esteem as Botham and Flintoff are held in, instead he'll be forgotten about apart from when they mention stats. Hope to fuck Sky don't sign him up as a commentator.

 

I can't see it. Can you imagine Atherton working with that fucking cretin?

[Guest Pistonbroke]

I can't see it. Can you imagine Atherton working with that fucking cretin?

 

They might decide to employ someone to do the duties of third man on a permanent basis so they can take the piss. KP's ego couldn't handle a bit of ribbing though, you'd have punch ups in the commentary box.

[RobbieOR]

England will regret letting him go.