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Loading ...Well, if KP were an Aussie I suspect they’d be working on his bowling – oh, look, his county skip’s an Australian spinner… so much for that idea 
Pietersen to replace Thorpe?
By Will 5 years ago, at the end of May Add your comment below
The decision to omit Kevin Pietersen in this Thursday’s Test against Bangladesh is still rippling its way through cricket’s news agencies and journalists and, today, Mark Nicholas makes a strong case for his inclusion…at the omission of Thorpe (I guess).
Despite shiny Mark’s uncomfortably-vain image as presenter of Channel 4’s cricket coverage, he is actually an excellent journalist and a very good reader of the game. Reading his articles is a relief, and makes a change from listening to his uber-smooth but cringe-making delivery on TV. And it ought to be noted that he too is a Hampshire man, so it’s perhaps not too suprising that he’s calling for Pietersen’s inclusion.
Cynicism aside, the case he makes is fascinating. Kevin Pietersen must play against Australia. Ian Bell must play against Australia. He mentions, or hints, at the much-talked about (by English and Australian media) need for England to have young, scarless players; those who haven’t been”scarred” by Australia’s hammerings over the years (too much is made of this, in my opinion). These 2 players, Bell and Key, are certainly part of England’s future – and Graham Thorpe is England’s past – but can England afford to drop someone of Thorpe’s experience, grit, class and success against the Australians?
My gut feeling is they won’t, unless his [Thorpe's] eyes, back or sanity fail him at the last minute. Most countries around the world are desperate to replicate Australia in as many areas as possible – for instance, if this were an Aussie decision, Thorpe would have been given the boot by now, as Lehmann was not long ago. But England is England, and although they are becoming more radical in their selections, caution is still the buzzword and I expect Thorpe to play as many Tests this summer as form and fitness permits.
Quite where this leaves Pietersen, I don’t know. I can’t see England winning The Ashes unless Pietersen and Flintoff can really mess up Australia’s lines and lengths, but where to fit the bloke in? As Big Brother says: you decide
Tags: australia, england, graham-thorpe, kevin-pietersen, kevin-pieterson, test-cricket, the-ashes |
4 Responses to “Pietersen to replace Thorpe?”
May 23rd, 2005 at 6.01 pm
May 23rd, 2005 at 10.32 pm
Cynic I don’t think his bowling is much at the moment, but hope he improves it (likewise with Bell)
May 24th, 2005 at 8.39 am
Isn’t that the sort of thing a development squad’s supposed to be for? I mean – we trust Fletch to be on the case… don’t we?
May 24th, 2005 at 12.10 pm
The Aussies have the ashes won already if you ask me, and we are talking up our chances too much. Watching the tour of New Zealand put me back in my box, and they didn’t even play at their best. With that in mind give the experience to the youngster and Thorpe should go.
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