KP left out, Davies called up

Batsman makes move to Surrey in bid to regain form ahead of Ashes

Last updated: 1st September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

KP left out, Davies called up

Pietersen: Surrey's new recruit

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Kevin Pietersen has been omitted from England's squads for the upcoming Twenty20 and one-day fixtures against Pakistan.

The selectors have opted to leave out the batsman so he can, instead, play for Surrey, who he has joined on loan from Hampshire at the request of the England management team and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Pietersen will make his Surrey debut on Wednesday in their Clydesdale Bank 40 fixture against Worcestershire, live on Sky Sports HD3/3.

National selector Geoff Miller believes the move for the 30-year-old will provide him with an "ideal opportunity" to regain his form ahead of the Ashes.

Benefit

"Kevin Pietersen has been omitted from both squads as we feel that his game would be best served by getting as much cricket under his belt as possible before a long and challenging winter," Miller said.

"The remainder of the county season is an ideal opportunity to do just that and we thank Surrey for enabling Kevin the chance to play and we thank both Surrey and Hampshire for facilitating the loan period for the remainder of the county season.

"Kevin has proved on numerous occasions that he is a world-class player and we know he'll benefit from getting more time in the middle to work on his batting and get his game back to the level he has shown throughout his career."

Pietersen insisted he had "no issue" with the decision taken by the selectors.

"While I'm naturally disappointed to have been omitted from the England squad I fully understand the reasons why and will be doing everything I can to get back into the England team," he said.

"I have no issue with the selectors omitting me from the limited overs squads and my sole focus now is working on my game ahead of an exciting winter.

"I would also like to add my huge thanks to Surrey for giving me this opportunity and I hope I can repay them with some runs."

The other major talking point from the squad announcement is the selection of wicketkeeper-batsman Steve Davies.

The Surrey left-hander is included in the Twenty20 party alongside Craig Kieswetter, who will be playing as a batsman. The duo look certain to open in the shortest form of the game with Michael Lumb ruled out through injury.

Keeper change

However, Davies is the only wicketkeeper selected for the five-match NatWest Series, meaning Kieswetter has lost his place in the 50-over format.

"Steven Davies has had an excellent year for Surrey this season and has earned his chance to take on the role as wicketkeeper in England's limited overs set up," explained Miller.

"As ever the wicketkeeper's role is a fiercely contested position in the England team and we've no doubt Craig Kieswetter will continue to press for the chance to reclaim his place in the England ODI squad."

Paul Collingwood, who captained England to glory in the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean, will lead the side in the two Twenty20 games before handing back the reins to Andrew Strauss for the longer format.

Ajmal Shahzad has been selected for the one-dayers but will be available to play for Yorkshire when deemed suitable by the England management.

Meanwhile, Ian Bell will make his return from a foot injury for Warwickshire in their Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Nottinghamshire on September 4.

England squad for Natwest International Twenty20 series against Pakistan, starting September 5:
P Collingwood (Durham, captain), J Anderson (Lancashire), R Bopara (Essex), T Bresnan (Yorkshire), S Broad (Nottinghamshire), S Davies (wkt, Surrey), C Kieswetter (Somerset), E Morgan (Middlesex), R Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), G Swann (Nottinghamshire), L Wright (Sussex), M Yardy (Sussex).

England squad for NatWest one-day series against Pakistan, starting September 10:
A Strauss (Middlesex, captain), J Anderson (Lancashire), R Bopara (Essex), T Bresnan (Yorkshire), S Broad (Nottinghamshire), P Collingwood (Durham), S Davies (wkt, Surrey), E Morgan (Middlesex), A Shahzad (Yorkshire), R Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), G Swann (Nottinghamshire), J Trott (Warwickshire), L Wright (Sussex), M Yardy (Sussex).

Comments (44)

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Julian Winter says...

This is the wrong decision by the selectors and surely a political one or show of force. I agree with other comments that this really shows a lack of respect for the player. As the old saying goes - "form is temporary; class is permanent" Maybe he is struggling a bit for form, but his past record speaks for itself and personally I would always feel reassured by having him in the line-up. As for some of the comments about his ''altitude'' - we need more England players with his spirit and drive and perhaps we might win more and have a chance of retaining the Ashes.

Posted 13:28 1st September 2010

George Martin says...

Best thing that could have happend to K.P,he''s been like a boxer going into the ring without training and gets knocked out within a couple of rounds,get some training in K.P you can reap the benifit of IT.As for Chris G he has,nt learnt much in 15yrs of match watching,you don''t play out of form players,though i do agree there are others that should be dropped as well.G.W.M.

Posted 12:03 1st September 2010

Andy Law says...

KP is NOT the saviour of English cricket, he is clearly struggling for form and as such is not immune to being dropped just like any other player. Moaning about it like a spoilt brat on twitter won''t help his cause either. He needs to go out and score some runs to prove his point before getting back into the team.

Posted 11:46 1st September 2010

Mark Simpson says...

is that ricky ponting i can hear laughing? playing right into the aussies hands,again.

Posted 11:25 1st September 2010

Stuart Furniss says...

Ossie Wheatley your obviously not Chairman of Facts.....it was in fact Essex who hired a West Indian for 20/20 Finals Day...not Hampshire...and a fat lot of good it did them as we spanked them !!!

Posted 10:39 1st September 2010

Paul Amor says...

Ossie Wheatley - Honestly, could you have been anymore wrong? Maybe former head of being wrong at Oxford? Hampshire elected not to play KP in favour of playing the team which got them to the T20 final and have played more county games in the last week than KP in the last four years; four of which are from the academy and 19/20 years old. Surely, this is exactly what a county should aspire to? The West Indian Test cricketer you refer to played for Essex.

Posted 09:56 1st September 2010

J G says...

....I also note that there is no palce in the T20 squad for any Hampshire palyer (the county who won the T20 final) such as Jimmy Adams or James Vince to name but two - could it be retribution for Hampshire refusing to paly an overpaid primadonna and standing their ground when it comes to their own team selection?

Posted 09:53 1st September 2010

J G says...

Ossie Wheatley....if you are a former Test selector, former chairman TCCB cricket committee, former Chairman Glamorgan CCC as your purport to be then you need to get some facts correct.....it was NOT Hampshire who "hired in a West Indian Test cricketer to play in the final day of the 20/20", it was Essex. Hampshire went on to win the T20 Final with a team who had managed to get them to finals day, without the aid of KP. It was a collection of youngsters who had battled throughout the season to make it there and deserved the chance to paly in the final. Why should someone who has made only 6 appearances for the county in 6 years, take the place of one of them? Hampshire are building for the future and, under the guidance of Giles White amongst others, are doing an excellent job.

Posted 09:50 1st September 2010

Richard Turpin says...

How Pietersen can respond in such a childish ungracious manner is beyond me and how he can think that past form is a reason for selection equally so. He should do what other great sportsman would do and accept his non selection and resolve to win his place back on merit, rather than have a childish hussy fit - he deserved to be dropped. Additionally the wording of the tweet and the manner in which it was done should result in a suspension and he needs to be told that he is not bigger than the game as he thought he was when he sought to have the previous English coach fired.

Posted 09:46 1st September 2010

Nick Shaw says...

The Aussies must be loving this.Collingwood should have been dropped too.What happens if the usual September weather rains most of the county games off,do the selectors reinstate Peterson.He would have got loads against a weakened Pakistan attack.

Posted 08:52 1st September 2010

Matt Porter says...

@ Ossie Wheatley - i think you''ll find that was Essex who brought in Dwayne Bravo for the 20/20 finals - and lost them the semi - not Hampshire so have they really got form? it''s the ECB (and Pietersen) that are the problem not Hampshire, and i''m an Essex fan

Posted 08:37 1st September 2010

Unhappy Ciderman says...

I See Peter Trego has been overlooked again, he has a better Batting average than Luke Wright & Ryan Sidebottom, & a bowling average that is very very close to both of these 2 players. i suppose the artwork on his arms upsets the men in suits, or maybe its because he doesn''t wear the right tie or have family that have previously played with some of the suits. either way it is a scandal, & on that note if they are looking to replace Pietterson with another batsman for the one day series why has James Hildreth been overlooked, oh well back to chewing on my straw & swigging scrumpy

Posted 08:36 1st September 2010

Sp C says...

Its a very brave decision taken by ECB selectors to drop an impact player like KP .Actually its a very good thing for cricket. No great players should take his place as granted for his past records.He should perform consistently well to earn his place in a national team.Only best players should represent his/her country in any game.It will be also a blessing in disguise for KP & English team if he can get back to form before Ashes.

Posted 05:42 1st September 2010

Chris G says...

It has become dreadfully apparent that the ECB management has an axe to grind with KP. This is the biggest load of rubbish I''ve seen yet! The main reason we won the 20/20 WC was KP and he''s left out of the squad? Funny how Collingwood who has been just as dreadful with the bat and cannot turn a game on it''s head like KP is included, or even Morgan for that matter, and I haven''t even seen the squad list but I''d bet the uselessness that is Luke Wright is in the squad, just utterly ridiculous. My biggest hope is KP follows Freddie''s footsteps and tells the ECB to take their central contract and stick it! I''d love to see KP go abroad and play for teams in Australia, India, or even SA and I''d make another bet that he''d actually enjoy himself and cricket again in doing so. Someone needs to sack the numb-nutts that is Geoff Miller and while their at it send Giles''s inflated ego packing too! We will lose this ODI series and probably the 20/20''s as well. Rip up your contract with Surrey KP and go play for the highest bidder, you owe the ECB and England absolutely nothing, they''ve embarrassed you, they''ve underestimated your worth and skill in the side, and after the Captaincy fiasco they''ve shown they don''t rspect you, and there is no reason for you to keep on with them. I''ve followed Englands International Team for 15 years now and I''m about fed up with them and their politics and the lack of respect they consistently show our senior players. It is just disgraceful the way they treat players who''ve given us their all.

Posted 00:35 1st September 2010

Andrew Woollaston says...

Why is James Foster always over looked????

Posted 00:02 1st September 2010

Ossie Wheatley says...

KP & the Corruption of the Registration system: The integrity of the County Championship is being corrupted by the overnight transfer of Petersen from Hampshire to Surrey. Hampshire already have form - a couple of weeks ago they hired in a West Indian Test cricketer to play in the final day of the 20/20. Apparently they now refuse the request of the selectors to play Petersen in 1st class competitions for the rest of this season. Thereupon the Registration rules are set aside so that Surrey can take KP on board. If he plays for Surrey, his intervention could well affect the outcome of the promotion battle at the top of div.2. This competition was pretty near farce due to the uncontrolled movement of overseas players but this latest manoevre surely confirms its low status in the eyes of ECB. Ossie Wheatley (former Test selector, former chairman TCCB cricket committee, former Chairman Glamorgan CCC).

Posted 20:49 31st August 2010

Craig Horn says...

Adam Howe, you don''t know what you are talking about! Just because he is ''Kp'' doesn''t mean he has a divine right to be in the team. He hasn''t scored a test match century for well over a year. Kp is no different from any other player. The selectors have done the right thing

Posted 20:29 31st August 2010

Darren Preece says...

There you go Ravi Bopara ...... stake your claim for the 5th time ..... Rooney had a bad world cup who thinks we should drop him and play Bobby Zamora ?, best batsman by a mile and he is dropped, well done selectors. Lets hope Cook is left out of the test side now after his terrible run of form and Collingwood too ....

Posted 20:04 31st August 2010

Arnie Bear says...

Very fair decision. If KP finds excellent form in the county game, he can be considered for the Ashes. If not, he doesn''t deserve to go and won''t be picked.

Posted 19:31 31st August 2010

Denise Taylor says...

KP has been quoted by pundits and the press as '' our best bastman, a ''dangerplayer'' and has not fullfilled these quotes. Collingwood and Cook have not been described as such. Kp has not fired for 18 months, and when he did he would get out by creating some''dumb shot'' which was said to be '' how I bat'' is that good enough from a supposed top-class player? I think not! Let him play some proper, down to earth cricket, and build up his confidence from there.

Posted 19:23 31st August 2010
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