Why is Kevin Pietersen Playing in the Twenty20 World Cup?

Tuesday, 2nd June 2009

Every so often someone at Lords remembers to trot out the line that Test Cricket is and must remain the pinnacle of the game; every time this happens something pops up that makes it harder than ever to take the ECB seriously when they say this. Not that the ECB are the only culprits; the ICC is just as bad. The latest evidence supporting the sense that given the opportunity to protect or devalue test cricket he people running English cricket will invariably choose the option that most damages the greatest form of the greatest game is the news that, despite being injured, Kevin Pietersen expects to play in this month's World Twenty20 Cup.

Well, why not? It's not as though there's an important test series starting in July is there?

A couple of other things: Pietersen is still two weeks away from being able to run. So, clearly, it makes sense to play him in a series of smack-and-giggle Twenty20 fixtures that can only exacerbate the chances of him aggravating the injury and, therefore, quite possibly missing the Ashes. Somehow, I doubt the Australians would be so reckless with, say, Ricky Ponting's fitness. Then again, they're not fools.

Secondly, Pietersen apparently injured his ankle and achilles tendon by running on tarmac roads. Handily, this supports my long-held view that the best way to be fit to play cricket is to, like, play cricket and that much of the obsession with "fitness" these days is pointless at best and quite possibly does as much to hurt players as help them.

Twenty20 is fine* and just a bit of fun and all that but, no mater how much it may please the marketing men, it's not cricket that matters in the way that test cricket matters. You know this because the marketing men are very excited by Twenty20. Naturally, then, it's interests must be put before those of the cricket that really does matter, just as the interests of people with at best a passing interest in cricket must be placed ahead of those of the people who actually love the game. This latter group, you see, are part of the problem, not the solution.

*As an occasional diversion and spot of jollity. An entertaining couple of hours to spend with some big hitting, some pals and a few tinnies. But that's all. Not nothing, but not the Second Coming either.

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Paul B

June 2nd, 2009 11:25am Report this comment

Owzat for an article. Sopt on Alex. KP motivations for wanting to play in the 20/20 world cup, with on paper, a very finely balanced Ashes series looming, in which, he can feature as a game breaker, have to be called into question. Methinks that he maybe wanting to put himself into the shop window for next years IPL. Or is that just me being cynical. KP is very much motivated by his own self interests, which is fine to a point, but he doesn`t have Englands test future as his No1 priority, in the way that Nassar did or Mike Atherton, or for that matter Boycott, who was also a selfish player.

Fergus Pickering

June 2nd, 2009 2:39pm Report this comment

Paul B, all batsmen are selfish to a degree. Boycott was very selfish indeed and everybody knew it. Botham once ran him out ON PURPOSE. Actually, the way KP plays doesn't look ALL that selfish to me. He doesn't play for his average. He plays to show he is the best. Like Viv Richards. Or Bradman. Or Grace, come to that.

Paul B

June 2nd, 2009 4:48pm Report this comment

Fergus , I hear you, and you are right of course, The point I was trying to make, was not about KPs batting average or ability, he`s a fine fine attacking player who on his day can destroy attacks. But rather, that KP couldn't care a less about England, as he couldn't care a less about South Africa, he couldn`t care a less about the future of test cricket, which was the point of Alex`s article. Rather he is in it for KPs own self promotion and financial gain, which to a point, as I said , I can understand, but I do think he owes the game, which is the foundation of his eventual fortune, some type of loyalty. EnglandOr maybe I`m just old fashioned.

Fergus Pickering

June 2nd, 2009 5:28pm Report this comment

Paul B, you're not old-fashioned. You're just living in another universe. Look at the career of Grace. Look at the career of Bradman. Did these men put England, or Australia, first? They did NOT. They WERE England and Australia. And I think you will find occasions when Lord Hawke would not release Yorkshiremen merely to play for England. Both Bradman and Grace were very fond of money. Good stuff - money. Victor Trumper is YOUR man. But even he didn't care for Australia above all things. It was the GAME he liked. Who would not wish to be at Lord's when KP is batting? Nothing like him since Denis Compton.

Paul B

June 2nd, 2009 7:04pm Report this comment

Fergus, you are right, I would give an arm and a leg, to be at Lords, on the Saturday of the Ashes Test. Clear blue sky, sun shining, MS picnic, maybe (maybe???) a quaff or two, and see the boy launch a unilateral attack on the Aussies. Six into the pavilion to wake the MCC members up and then one into the press stand. 180 runs by mid afternoon. Yo have talked me round Fergus, the strength of your debate and logic ,well played Sir.

Paul B

June 2nd, 2009 10:22pm Report this comment

Alex, see England beat Scotland tonight :-) Huge six by the man of the moment.

Tim

June 5th, 2009 9:17pm Report this comment

England just lost to Holland in the first round. I agree that Twenty20 is not all that significant but this can't be good for morale. At least KP was rested.

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