I think he topped the batting averages in australia, apart from Ben Stokes whose average was boosted by a ton. Not a great deal to be proud of, but there were numerous others that should have been sacked before him for that alone.

There have been loads of cases down the years of players not getting on with others, but they still got a game because they were better at what they did.

With England though it seems the team ethic, or being part of Team England, matters more than ability.

And the other thing, we are talking about an entertainment industry here. What does building for the future even mean? The public pay a lot of money to watch the best players, not to watch an ashes match, were england get mullered but are building for the future?

Building for the future? What? A very unimportant tour of India?

Some good points I think on both sides of the KP debate and I agree with the entertainment factor when splashing out a fair whack on an ashes ticket. If we make the right appointment as coach (someone like Gillespie) who likes a more aggressive brand of cricket then that may free the shackles of some of the players and let them express themselves a bit more. Certainly Buttler and Stokes can bat carefree as well as Moeen Ali so there is potential for some fireworks. But it's test cricket so the public should know that is often not all that exciting so it is important to grind periods out. We need a combination of flair and grit.

I think in terms of building for the future, that is for us to climb the test rankings again and actually play ODI stuff properly. A lot depends on the next coaching appointment but I don't trust the ECB to get it right. We need someone a bit leftfield but the suits won't have it.

Agree with all of that.

This has been a truly awful start for Strauss' tenure after that opening interview.

Strauss doesn't trust KP but asked him if he would consider being an advisor for one day cricket.


You just couldn't make it up.

Would rather have had Vaughan in as Strauss is a typical safety first ECB kind of bloke

But Vaughany is not well-liked around the ECB and the England camp because of his opinions but he'd have been a great appointment. Him and Gillespie would've been a good combo.

Surely as it's the coaches job that hinges on results the I don't think it's a great starting point having management from higher up telling you who you can and can't pick.

I can't speak with anywhere 100% certainty for Jason Gillespie but I reckon he'd want Pietersen in the team as would any new coach wanting the best eleven possible on the field. I can't see him wanting the job now.

ECB doesn't trust KP. Crooks like Stanford are ok though.

Thought strauss composed himself well and didn`t waltz around the subject

Strauss has trust issues with KP.

But he asked him to take an advisory role about the ODI team Surely the key aspect of being an advisor to someone is trust in that persons opinion!?

Slightly contradiction Andrew.

He might as well have just told the truth; "Hes not getting picked because I don't like him!"

Strauss is an idiot.

I don't think Strauss is an idiot far from it, intelligent bloke, good player, well respected and a good captain.

This is not good though.

As I said earlier what was the point in another meeting to tell him he's not getting picked? He had that last year. Have you ever heard of this ever before? Graeme Fowler said on Twitter earlier that he never once had a meeting after he got dropped by England to tell him he was still dropped He didn't have one when he got dropped he just didn't get picked! Hire the new coach ask who he wants in the team the either select him or don't select him. Surely that is better than this current farce!?

Agree, so this makes Strauss an idiot and a vindictive one.

I dont care how good a player he was or how good a captain he was, this single episode has proved he is an idiot.

Dont know how you can possibly disagree.

He's made himself look an idiot by doing something he didn't need to do but he's clearly not an idiot.

His credentials otherwise for the job are good and he earns some brownie points for sacking Moores!

I can see why Strauss had the meeting with him. He had previously been told the door was open for him (by that ever growing idiot Graves) so he went to Surrey.

Rightly or wrongly that isn't the case anymore so he's being honest with him to give him the option to cut his ties with English cricket.

Strauss has said there is no trust between KP and the ECB when he actually meant between Cook, Broad, Jimmy and KP.

Disgrace

Strauss out ( and yes I'm being serious)

Come back and score runs at county level was what he was told.

He's averaging 219 and isn't good enough for a side that couldn't beat the west indies. Absolute embarrassment both Strauss and the Ecb. So glad I havnt bought tickets this year. Don't even think I'll watch a single test. So pissed off. Pick the best team or leave should be said to Mr Strauss asap

I am sat shaking my head that anyone thinks this was a good move by Strauss, or can in anyway try and justify it.

If KP is playing better than anyone else he should be picked. As far as I can see England is not a members only club.

If they arent going to pick the best players in form, then they shouldnt charge top coin for tickets.

The whole of english cricket stinks. And has done for quite some time.

I paid £320 for the 4 days at Durham for the the last ashes. It isn't cheap, beer is £5 a pint it's a very expensive few days. To not pick the best players should result in fans being allowed a refund if they wish so. Fuck them right off and his them were it hurts. To not select the best team tells me hey just care about a wage slip and nothing else

At the end of the day the decision has been made (again) and it's time to move on. Calling for the head of Strauss is just plain silly. The whole set up needs a period of stability and continuity. The big decision comes with who gets the coaches job and how things progress on the field.

I can see valid reasons for moving on from KP he's a decisive character who's caused trouble wherever he's been. This Graves character should apologise to him though for giving him false hope that was wrong.

I fail to see the point in continuing to bang on about it now, we'll all start to sound like Piers Morgan and nobody wants to sound like Piers Morgan.

Sorry PJ I just dont get your point here.

If KP is playing good cricket and proves he is better than the rest he should be picked.

It shouldnt be allowed to be brushed under the carpet, so that Strauss gets away with it.

Its not time to move on. Its time to grow a pair, and ensure the best players get picked.

Too much stuff with cricket is brushed under the carpet by the establishment.

Has he caused trouble at Surrey??

I don't see how he's caused trouble everywhere he's been like. Saying that is silly as it clearly isn't true.

He's the most inform batsmen in world cricket, averaging 219 and the big bash went extremely well also. Wasn't he the 2nd highest runscorer?? If he was ill take back my comment if the guy who scored the most has 220 or more current average for recent matches at a decent level.

He should be picked and even the most argumentative poster in here (pj) cannot argue otherwise. He should be selected simply because there is nobody better, that's it end of.

Strauss can fuck off and take his petty behaviour with him.

I read earlier in this pj called him a top professional, well didn't he call kp a complete kunt live on air??? Not very professional that like at all.

I heard an interview with Alec Stewart a few weeks ago and he said that in KP's 2 Surrey stints he has been no problem at all and easy to work with. Man management is about dealing with all types of characters to get the best results.

Cricket is sport and quite an individual one at that. Are people like Straiss really trying to tell us that a bowler will perform worse on the field because he doesn't like someone in the dressing room? It will change his run up and action will it? Or a batsmen is so upset that he can't concentrate at the crease because he doesn't like KP. If so they need to be thrown out of the team for not having the right mental strength.

Most of the players thought Boycott was a 'lovely lovely person' but they would also say he would be the first on the team sheet to open the innings as he was bloody good at his job!!!!

For me Strauss has proven he isn't the bigger man and he has petty views. He should say nothing and the selectors should pick the best team

Strauss has not covered himself in glory.

Apart from the KP issue yesterday, he botched the sacking of Moores by blabbing it to Nick Knight. The last person to find out about Moores sacking was Moores himself.

And this is his first day in the job.

Strauss is trying to keep Jimmy, Broad and his captain happy. They should be told to like having KP on the team or lump it.

None of them have been good enough over the last twelve months to have enough dressing room power.

I think you'll find all of this started when KP called Strauss 'a doos' which is a c*** in Africaans in texts to the opposition. The Test as slagged off a young lad on Test debut to his face in front of team mates. He's got every reason to believe he's a devisive influence.

My view has been consistent, I want to watch him play for England and think he should still be playing for England but he's not entirely blameless for the reasons he isn't anymore, far from it. It clear if the current regime lasts he never will again so it's time to move on.

Who is the 'current regime' though. I can't see any permanent fixtures other than those three I've named who are the ones he criticised in his book

The current regime is Strauss who is now running the show and has clearly made a decision. Is that personal or for the good of English cricket I suppose time will tell.

I bet he's regretting that book now it certainly burnt a few more bridges.

He used the bullying thing as his main selling point. If he'd left that out he'd have sold thousands less but we probably wouldn't be having this conversation now.

Well I've read the book and didn't think it was so bad. The only person he slams and doesnt apologise for it is Flower plus the guys behind the Twitter account.

He's pretty complimentary about Strauss

Still dont get you PJ. And you play cricket.

Cricket is probably the only team sport where it really doesnt matter to have team ethic, spirit etc etc.

There are 11 individuals doing their own thing that all adds up to a team total. Otherwise if thats not true, why could a team win a series 5-0, but a batsmen or a bowler still gets dropped?

Its not really a team game.

Strauss would probably have picked him if he didn't think it would upset the three I've kept mentioning.

Jimmy is our best bowler, Cook is our only proven opener and Broad can win you matches when firing.

Strauss had to chose one or the other, he went with those three instead of telling them to let bygones be bygones

I don't get can you read!?

I have said all along I want him in the team I can just see the other side of the coin.

Plus of course Cricket is a team game especially at that level.

He doesn't sound very happy;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/32715197

If any bowler can't bowl at his very best because he doesn't like one of his own batsmen then that person is a pretty poncey sportsman.

So cricket isn't really a team game is it?

A bowler bowling shit does not stop his own batsman batting well.

If any of those players mentioned can't play their game if they seem pieterson on the pitch then they are gay

A centre back having a nightmare doesn't impact on the centre forward in his own teams performance but so by your rather half baked logic football isn't a team game. Messi could score a hat trick if the keeper throws in four at the other end then it's in a losing cause.

I hope this of one of your hilarious wind ups because if not God help you. Cricket not a team game

A bowler could bowl the spell of his life and his team mates could drop 14 catches off his bowling. A batsman could get run out or starved of strike by a team mate. Collectively you need to play well to win.

Footballers get shipped out of clubs all of the time because they are 'bad eggs' look at QPR's situation now. I suppose what Strauss is doing, right or wrong, is no different.

Jesus wept PJ do you have Aspergers?

Thanks for stating the absolute obvious. Now if you could take off those everything is black or white goggles you cant help but wear, you will know as well as I do, that a fielder dropping 14 catches, does not suddenly mean the bowler bowled shite.

A batsman getting run out doesnt mean anything. He is still an individual within the frame of a team game. Which is all I meant, as well you knew.

So, if a centrehalf thinks his fellow centrehalf is a lazy bastard, it could impact on their partnership.

If a batsman called Kevin, is a renowned c unt, it does not under any circumstances mean a bowler called Jimmy can no longer give 100% or be as effective. Unless that bowler called Jimmy is a knob.

Pietersen can piss off as far as I'm concerned.

I've had no time for him since he tried to pick and choose which tests he played in. He didn't fancy New Zealand a few years ago because he'd rather earn a mint playing in the IPL. He wanted to come back when it suited and play in the Ashes though.

Would anyone tolerate similar behavior from a Pools player? I doubt it.

It's not like he was playing out of his skin for the last couple of years in test cricket either, and a big score against the worst county side doesn't really alter that.

Yes that's right I have a mental disability. Hands up you've got me.

You said that cricket is not a team sport, that is a nonsense you are also saying that a divisive influence in the dressing shouldn't make a difference to other players which is also nonsense. It's obviously not going effect how hard someone try's but causing divides and cliques in a dressing room will impact how the team functions as a unit.

Also as I've said loads of times I think he should be playing I think it's a farce but I'm also capable of seeing the other side of this and why they should move on without being hysterical. It's more the way it's been handled than the actual decision that is the problem.

there are already cliques in that england dressing room. Its one of those cliques thats keeping Pieterson out.

I agree with this.

The EBC and that new Graves bloke have been a PR disaster.

The other ten players are one massive clique!

The more that comes out the clearer the picture becomes. The decision has probably come from above Strauss ultimately and certainly above any player , Vaughan ruled himself out of the job a couple of weeks ago because he felt he couldn't do it with 'restrictions' I wonder what those were!? Anderson (who you keep mentioning) and Pietersen don't really have problem do they? Apart from the laughable bullying accusations in his daft book.

So if these restrictions apply to Strauss they also apply to the new coach which will in turn restrict the ECB in terms of choice. Shane Warne has already said today that both Gillespie and Langer would want KP in the team. So is this decision really what's best for English cricket? I have my doubts.

No. Front row on day 3 in the Party Stand for me Chess