Pietersen and South Africa

[John]

He certainly can't be labelled a genius. Boycott once said in all of years in cricket he only saw three genius batsmen Sobers, Vivian Richards and Lara. I think we can be pretty sure he won't be adding Pietersen's name to that. Well I hope not anyway.
I think your right early on in his career he has looked vunerable early on. Especially when the side is in a defensive situation. But I do think he has had a very good start to his one day career and his Test career has been a good start. If there wasn't the controversy surrounding his playing for England they would be giving him praise he probably has got the praise he deserves.

[Seamer]

I think Petersen might end up becoming one of the greats.
Despite his awkward looking technique, and his penchant for hitting to the on-side, the guy has no notable weaknesses. I thought he would struggle against Warne during the last Ashes, but he was very comfortable against legspin too. A great attacking batsman with all the shots, he also has an excellent defense and is not adverse to using it when needed. More improtantly, he truly has mental strength and the ability to perform under pressure - i consider that the most important quality for a test batsman.

I fear him more that any other batmen in world cricket when he comes up against Australia.

[Beny]

I'm with you there... England have some very good batsmen but Pieterson is perhaps as good as Gilly at his best.

[Sidewinder]

I think it's sad that KP has had to go this route to play international cricket. Who knows, he might not have made the England setup had it not happened. In the series against SA he seemed like he wanted to prove a point against SA & I reckon SA is gonna be his fave opponents to play against in the future. Didn't look to convincing in the 1st ODI & 20/20 against Asif of Pakistan...perhaps it's the seaming ball?

[greg]

If what KP has said in his book is true then you can't blame him for leaving.I always remember him saying that there was a player who was better than him as a teenager who has now given up the game because of the quota system so there may be some truth in it.

One thing is certain though,he won't be a popular player when the sides next meet after all this.

[Lemming]

I think the simple point is this: putting aside the quota system, Pietersen was left out of the Natal team and felt that he was good enough to play for them. As a result he left and came to England (of course the quota system might have given him a hint to go to England) to find himself a cricket team - to play cricket.

It appears to me that he just wants to play cricket for as good a team as would take him. He probably felt that in South Africa he might find in the future that he is thrown out of a team when he might deserve a place.

He just wants to play cricket - that might be more important to him than his nationality or being a patriot. I don't see anything wrong with that.

[Sidewinder]

Well said Lemming but his predicament is not a unique one. We see a lot of players for the bigger provinces in SA leaving to play for the smaller franchises. A lot of these guys get recognition this way. What he did was quite extreme. I don't have a problem with him leaving rather his attitude since then

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by greg

I always remember him saying that there was a player who was better than him as a teenager who has now given up the game because of the quota system so there may be some truth in it.

well, if he says so... still, i remember at scholl there was a guy (elliot) in the same form as carlisle - no comparison for talent yet elliot gave up cricket early (the days when there were no quotas) and who knows where he is now.

Originally Posted by greg

If what KP has said in his book is true then you can't blame him for leaving

ok i won't! -- but i won't lament or sympathise either.

Originally Posted by Lemming

He just wants to play cricket - that might be more important to him than his nationality or being a patriot. I don't see anything wrong with that.

me neither, but some call it mercenary and i guess they have a point.

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Originally Posted by Beny

England have some very good batsmen but Pieterson is perhaps as good as Gilly at his best.

i agree (except for the "but"), my take on gilchrist is pretty similar - he'll ALWAYS give you a chance early on - miss them at your peril!


and seamer - i thought warne would be the one person he wouldn't struggle against - lost a few of his wkts to him anyway - it may be because he plays in the english team and therefore stands out so much more, but he always convinced me against spin (if he wasn't trying to take them - the best - on). otherwise he looks a decent batsman who'll run away if you don't nip him in the bud by bowling sensibly - maybe the reason he has no noticeable weaknesses is that he is capable of making mistakes to ANY kind of ball but has the mental strength t not let the regular near misses affect him

[admin]

These are the links to extracts from his book published on the Daily Mail website:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1849
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1849
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1849

This article wasn't too flattering about KP.

When he played for Natal he was a bowler, and was dropped because he simply wasn't good enough. Indeed, his bowling is so poor that he rarely bowls even in English county cricket. That his batting talents were not spotted when he was in South Africa was clearly a blunder, but to blame his non-selection by Natal of racial quotas is palpable nonsense.

[Ernest]

It is far to soon IMO to say if Pietersen is great or not - he has had a decent start to his England Test career, but then again so has players like Cook and Panesar, and no one calls then great.

I don't like any form of quote system at all - it's not ideal at all "artificial" springs to mind.

Pietersen along with Cook - Panesar - Mahmood - Plunkett and others - it will take a few years before we know if they are even good enough England cricketers, let alone great cricketers.