Miller plans KP talks

Misfiring Batsman still in the frame for the Ashes

Last updated: 1st September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

I'll be watching games that he is participating in before the end of the season, and this won't stop me talking to Kevin Pietersen. If he wants to apologise or thinks there is a need to apologise then so be it. I will certainly explain to him what my feelings are.

Geoff Miller
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England national selector Geoff Miller will be speaking to Kevin Pietersen about the batsman's ill-fated Twittering.

The out-of-form Pietersen was prescribed a loan stint with Surrey and dropped from England's Twenty20 and one-day international squads to face Pakistan - but not before he himself had inadvertently broken the news to his 'followers' via a foul-mouthed tweet.

Several hours before the England and Wales Cricket Board announced the 12-man Twenty20 and 14-man ODI squads on Tuesday afternoon, Pietersen wrote: "Done for the rest of the summer!!

"Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too. It's a ****-up."

It was a short-lived tweet, taken off the feed within seconds.

By then, though, it was too late to stop the surprising news travelling fast.

England national selector Geoff Miller confirmed he will be speaking to Pietersen about the episode.

But he also made it clear every effort will be made to help the 30-year-old regain his best form in time to prove his worth for the Ashes.

The squad to tour Australia is expected to be announced at the end of this month, and Miller said: "We know KP is a high-quality international player.

"But his form has not been where he would have wanted it to be, so we've given him the opportunity to get some middle practice - with the Ashes in mind."

Explaining the decision to leave Pietersen out, Miller added: "We've taken everything into account regarding this series and an arduous winter to come. I'd expect Kevin to be disappointed.

Form

"We feel we've made the right decision - because we need him to get his form back and we think he will do that playing some county cricket.

"We have to thank Surrey for accepting the request and we think that will benefit him more than some ODIs - and I know he will fight his way back to be an integral part of the England side."

Pietersen will have to fight for his place, like everyone else. "I fully anticipate seeing Kevin Pietersen back to the way he was when he dominated opposition attacks," added Miller.

"We will give people a real fair crack of the whip, and I think we've done that with Kevin as well. There are a few players who will be fighting to get into that side, and Kevin will be one of those."

Before then, though, Pietersen can expect one or two stern questions about that Twitter slip.

"I'll talk to KP. Whether there is an apology or not, I'm sure (England coach) Andy Flower will have a word with him," said Miller.

He expects relations to remain cordial, however. "I'll be watching games that he is participating in before the end of the season, and this won't stop me talking to Kevin Pietersen.

"If he wants to apologise or thinks there is a need to apologise then so be it. I will certainly explain to him what my feelings are."

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Comments (9)

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Allan Carter says...

I seem to remember KP was "kicked out" of Notts CCC, now he has upset Hants CCC perhaps he is just as disruptive in the England team. Am I the only person who thinks his tecnique is so idiosycratic ( a euphemism for poor ) that his best days are behind him. What is the point of county batsmen scoring stacks of runs if the same players are guaranteed their selection.to the England squad. I believe the selectors have been too loyal this season. What does Carberry or indeed Adams from Hants CCC have to do to replace Cook. Both openners. The same could be said of Collingwood. Morgan at least has had a taste of test cricket but looks out of place in the longer form of the game apart from one hundred.

Posted 14:36 1st September 2010

Mike James says...

I do think that the selectors are right in a way to get Pieterson some time in the middle and good on Surrey for allowing him to play. But Surrey play today in a 40 over match, yes he could play that and still play the T20 on Sunday and then if no runs play in the 4 day game that Surrey have on Tuesday instead of the second T20? I do think that it''s right that Collingwood play the T20 as he is the captain, but he could be playing the Durham game which finishes Friday could he not?? And Matt Prior, for T20 yes he should possibly be in ODI definatley. He is a better keeper and currently better form and is more valueable in the ODI format. Cook has played for Essex recently I believe but should playfor them this week and see how he does, then they also have a 4 day match next week he could play. For me the only ''shoe ins'' for the test side are Strauss, Trott, Prior and the bowlers and I''d be tempted to play maybe Rashid or Patel ??

Posted 14:06 1st September 2010

Bob Ellis says...

What a load of rubbish - he is out of form, get a life KP no one player is biggaer than the team. Go away get some form back and then you can come back and make a contribution. Well done Mr Miller - pitty Mr Cappello doesnt show a bit of steel.

Posted 13:42 1st September 2010

Wez Griffiths says...

Unbelievable that they can drop our best player with the level of backing they have given strauss, collingwood and cook during long periods of lack of form over the last few years. KP is tempremental, and already has reason to feel agrieved about the way he was handled as captain, which in itself is a major reason for the lack of confidence that has blighted him since. It is a bit of kick in the teeth and with all the money that flies around with t20 competitions arond the world these days and talk of free agents, or cricket mercenaries, just playin in those kind of tournaments for big money England have to be careful.... Having said that, Surrey have Worcester tonight who are absoultely awful and it may well be a good chance for him to get some serious runs!

Posted 13:23 1st September 2010

Matt Holden says...

WHen are the england management going to be better to KP? There was the fiasco of how they managed his disagreement with Peter Moores when he was captain. Now they are going after him for a little tweet following his being dropped strangely (World T20 man of the tournament! who would you want playing for you...). The captaincy episode dented his form and confidence for a time afterward (arguably it has never recovered). Now they want to force an apology out of him when you can understand why he put that being dropped from the T20s didn''t make sense in a tiny Tweet. Ever since Vaughan went out of the picture, there seems no-one in England management who knows how to cultivate KP. We need less of the PR-oriented Geoff Millerisms, more people who know a bit about psychology in the England set-up, who know what it takes not to damage your players'' confidence, in Australia they wouldnt make this kind of mistake. KP works hard so is trying to fit in, they just keep knocking him in England. The Aussies know better how to keep control and order while not unnecessarily upsetting players and damaging the team''s prospects as a result.

Posted 12:50 1st September 2010

Jim Wentworth says...

It must be obvious to many that the main thing KP was doing wrong in recent tests was seeming to still be in too much of a T20 mindset. Maybe the effort to dominate the IPL and then the World T20 took him out of the mode of Test cricket. The old England manager said in an article after 1 or 2 tests that KP needed to remember that he had time to play himself in and build an innings in the upcoming Tests that were left - which suggests he thought KP was more in a limited-overs mindset as well. You''d have thought this would make his attitude perfect for the upcoming T20 games and 1 dayers though - can''t understand why he is dropped, it''s not on the basis of recent form in T20s and 50-over games so makes little sense. As Darren Gough has said. Controversial decision then - very controversial with a huge star player like Pietersen is. People like Miller can''t have it both ways (he is trying to...) - making a big controversial decision like this and expecting the player to take it lying down. Why not drop one of the less short-format-of-the-game specialists for the upcoming Pakistan games? Selectors are making little sense,

Posted 12:39 1st September 2010

Jonathan Williams says...

Truly poor thinking from Geoff Miller here, and yet another example of KP being let down by the England selectors/management. (People like Geoff Boycott have pointed out how badly KP was handled in the time he was captain.) Here are the cold facts. 1) KP was man of the tournament at the World T20 series in the Spring - how can we drop him for the 2 T20 games against Pakistan??! 2) if you are looking at players to potentially rest for the upcoming 50-over games, you''d look at their form in the recent T20 games, and maybe at their Test form also. KP was supreme in T20 recently (also in the IPL T20 just preceding the World T20 incidentally). At least 4 England batsmen have done no better than him in the longer, Test format over the last year-ish (eg Strauss, eg Cook - for whom, a single uncharacteristic century does not redeem the scenario, a single swallow does not a summer make). So where is the argument to drop KP in particular, ''to find some form'', from the upcoming 1-dayers?? 3) Re: Miller''s woefully patronising attitude, sorry, but KP may not have been best advised to put up his extremely-quickly-deleted Tweet, but you can understand him being upset and incredulous, and he was actually right in what he said - it shows little logic by the selectors! 4) It is deeply regrettable that a guy (KP) who has contributed a lot to the england game since he arrived on the scene, should now be in line for a severe rap on the knuckles for something quite mild and when he was right. 5) Finally, the England management seem to have little idea how to handle KP - ever since Vaughan went, this has been the case. The only thing Miller and Flower seem to believe in is the virtue of hard work. KP has that in abundance anyway but it needs different handling to bring out the best in him.

Posted 12:29 1st September 2010

Jim Deane says...

It''s about time we an English sports professional become upset about not playing for the national team!! Finally some passion to play for your country (maybe not so prominent in this case) is being shown!! Passion is something that has shown why KP is one of the best cricketers in the world when on form, why would we want him to lose this. I think the words he used may have been a bit harsh as he is a role model for an unlimited number of young cricket fans, but to discipline him for being upset to be dropped - Insane!!! I agree, KP does need to find his form and with any luck he will be smashing boundries and breaking records come the trip down under!!

Posted 11:06 1st September 2010

Jonathan Kennedy says...

This may turn out to be a good thing for Pieterson, he is clearly not in any sort of form and needs ro get back to basics and score some big runs for Surrey . It does seems odd that Collingwood who has has a very poor Summer isn''t dealt the same hand however . The biggest mystery for me is the ommision of Matt Prior . He is arguably England''s best batsman at present and should get in the side for his batting alone, no the country would leave him out . The best players should play in all formats of the game

Posted 10:45 1st September 2010
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