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    Pietersen more than just a marketable asset

    By Will 3 years ago, mid-June Leave a comment on this post

    I’m becoming more and more convinced Pietersen will play a part against Australia this summer. Apart from his marketability, especially his questionable hair-style (which Ian Botham refers to, constantly, as a “dead mongoose” - or as he said the other day, a “dead mongrat”), he has talent in spades.

    Today, he was the face behind the ECB’s marketing campaign called “England’s Big Summer.” Not Michael Vaughan, the respected England captain. Not Andrew Flintoff, the nation’s favourite bat-wielder. Not, even, big Steve Harmison - Kevin Pietersen was chosen. He of zero Tests and a million words written about him fame.

    I hadn’t heard any rumours about this marketing campaign, but was pretty impressed with it. As discussed many times here, cricket struggles for back-page coverage and vainly tries to compete with Football - a losing battle - so, to see Kevin Pietersen smash several balls 111 metres (apt, isn’t it?!) into the River Thames, with the London Eye and Big Ben as the backdrop, was exciting stuff.

    The ECB chose Kevin Pietersen, and so will Fletcher and Vaughan - so long as he makes at least one score against the Old Enemy in the ODI funfare. Hell, even the Aussies are rating him - Warne thinks he’s a bigger, and more dangerous, hitter than Flintoff, and Simon Katich (another Hampshire colleague) keeps raving about him.

    With Andrew Miller (Cricinfo) discussing Vaughan’s tough-git mentality, and Thorpe lacking the counter-attacking shots that once made him so dangerous, all signs are pointing towards “600” making his Test debut against the antipodeans. And, yes, I’m probably going back on my word…

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    5 Responses to “Pietersen more than just a marketable asset”

  • Geoff wrote:
    June 9th, 2005 at 9.04 pm

    Even the Aussies are rating him? Why do the press (and, it seems, the fans) fall for this every time?

    The Australians are not praising Pietersen to the heavens because they genuinely think he will blast England to victory against them. They want to disrupt the England team, and they are doing that. Consistency of selection has been our strong point lately, and I’d hate to see that sacrificed in the face of hype (which goes directly against the ‘win at all costs’ mentality).

    Pietersen will play at some point. I just hope that when he does, it is because either:
    a) someone is injured;
    b) someone is genuinely out of form (Thorpe isn’t, and Pietersen isn’t in form);
    c) we have wrapped up the series with two to spare (I can dream).

  • Will wrote:
    June 22nd, 2005 at 1.34 pm

    Geoff, I forgot to reply to your comment at the time. But I’d be interested to hear if your opinion has changed at all, since Pietersen hit that 92 against Australia.

  • Keshnie wrote:
    July 13th, 2005 at 8.26 pm

    I LOVE KEVIN PIETERSEN. AND I AM HIS NUMBER 1 FAN.

  • chelsea wrote:
    April 22nd, 2006 at 7.04 pm

    i love kevin pietersen and because of him i joined my local cricket club and i love it. he is my idol and i wish i could meet him..

  • mattie wrote:
    June 3rd, 2006 at 1.40 am

    ryt, my sister has loved kp since he came ova here 5-6 yrs ago. Shes met him 4 times, got igned pictures, postrs, thirts, stickers, keyings, shes goin out wiv my her mate jessica, cos she goes out wiv him, jessica that is, er and e sis ave been maeys 4 yrs, and dere goin out 2 ausraila 4 de ashes, even 2 meet de playas, but my sis is obsessed with him literally. Hes my idol 2, most talented sportsmn alive i’d say.

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