KP - WTF
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="571636" data-time="1460387758">
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<p>Sorry I did mispeak there I meant to say they were more mercenary than KP. That doesn't make them mercenaries in my eyes but if you have a standard where KP is considered one then those guys well and truly are too - that was my point. There are dozens of recent players that have put personal glory/pride ahead of their country than KP.</p>
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<p>Indeed, I'd love to see Chris Gayle turn down the IPL for a season to get fit for the Windies test team.... or McCullum not retire at his peak to play 12 months a year T20 tournaments globally. Or any number of NZ players not retire at 33/34 & then play elsewhere cough Stephen Fleming or even just skip out of the warm up for tours to play IPL & turn up out of rythm & bowl shithouse throwing away a test as they are unable to revert to test line 24 hours after getting off the plane half fit from warming the bench at their franchise where thay aren't even good enough to be selected...</p>
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<p>In the global "will play for money, national alliegance less so" KP is a long way from the worst.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="571642" data-time="1460393897">
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<p>Or any number of NZ players not retire at 33/34 & then play elsewhere cough Stephen Fleming</p>
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<p>Fair play to Flem, Bracewell was a maniac at the time and his was one of many unexpected retirements out of the national team including Astle before the CWC! Macca, Styirs, Vincent, Marshall and Bond all called it quits around then because they couldn't be bothered working in that environment (while earning less lets be honest).</p>
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<p>He played a single season of IPL and a copule more for Wellington in T20 and that was it. I think after 10 years captaining and carrying the batting - especially for that team he just was burnt out.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="571618" data-time="1460371644">
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<p>For me he's one rung below Lara and Sewag & similar to Laxman in that all were able to play inings virtually no one else in the game could. His 180 odd in India in 2012 was astonishing. Even Indian commentators rate that as one of the best played there. His 150 odd to win the ashes in 2005 was pretty special too. Not Lara-esqe.. but not far off.</p>
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<p>Again, stylishly he was top notch ( not unlike Gower and M Waugh ) and I loved watching him in full flight, but in the last 20 years the likes of Lara, Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis, Dravid, Hayden and quite a number of others are in a higher echelon.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="571605" data-time="1460366982">
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12173/8945613/andrew-strauss-admits-he-was-dumbfounded-by-kevin-pietersen-text-scandal'>http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12173/8945613/andrew-strauss-admits-he-was-dumbfounded-by-kevin-pietersen-text-scandal</a></p>
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<p>Not according to Strauss</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/58711/strauss-reveals-details-of-kp-text-saga'>http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/58711/strauss-reveals-details-of-kp-text-saga</a></p>
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<p>"After being dropped for the Test, KP admitted sending 'provocative' text messages and after the match came to my house and sincerely apologised. I accepted his apology and hold no grudges against him. <em><strong>I am also confident, in retrospect, that he did not give the South Africans information on how to get me out. </strong></em>The far greater issue was one of trust. There were many involved with English cricket, including myself, who felt particularly let down. Stuff that should have stayed in the dressing room had been played out in front of the media."</p>
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<p>Wow, there you go. Like any media the inflammatory stuff goes public like crazy, and then the truth is barely even revealed.</p>
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<p>I still stand by comments though that there is much much more to this story than Joe Public knows.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="571644" data-time="1460396262">
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<p>Fair play to Flem, Bracewell was a maniac at the time and his was one of many unexpected retirements out of the national team including Astle before the CWC! Macca, Styirs, Vincent, Marshall and Bond all called it quits around then because <em><strong>they couldn't be bothered working in that environment</strong></em> (while earning less lets be honest).</p>
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<p>I prefer the aussie option where you just ignore a coach you don't like, call him an asshole & carry on playing for your country & take another 300 odd wickets. I really don't get the "someone was a bit of an ass to me so I gave up playing for my country"</p>
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<p>The issue re Fleming seemed far more that he wanted to carry on as test captain, while Bracewell wanted just one captain across all formats. So Fleming bailed. Almost like the complete opposite to Ross Taylor or Steve Waugh or Shiv Chandapaul.</p>
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<p>You are right that Bracewell created a hugely toxic environment, but I still think Fl;eming could have stuck it out, its not like he was geting dropped like Marshall, Macca or Vincent</p>
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<p>On the county front, Ryder, Marshall & Noema-Barnett all in action -</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/946947.html'>http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/946947.html</a></p> -
On a more serious note James Taylor forced to retire at 26 with heart condition <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/36024253'>http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/36024253</a>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Cookie" data-cid="571754" data-time="1460454938">
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<p>On a more serious note James Taylor forced to retire at 26 with heart condition <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/36024253'>http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/36024253</a></p>
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<p>Thats fricking tragic, just cemented his place in the ODI side & got a run in the test team.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:10px;">Its Phil Hughes all over again. Only he's in the test & ODI team. And not dead.</span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="571772" data-time="1460469090"><p>Thats fricking tragic, just cemented his place in the ODI side & got a run in the test team.<br><br><span style="font-size:10px;">Its Phil Hughes all over again. Only he's in the test & ODI team. And not dead.</span></p></blockquote>
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Yup far too young, he will be missed<br><img src="http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160412/8ef81fe2de6db5ffd67670ea8f793af6.jpg" alt="8ef81fe2de6db5ffd67670ea8f793af6.jpg">
