Sportblog | The Guardian — Kevin Pietersen RSS

Jul 29, 2017

England debutant Tom Westley’s shot-making brio illuminates grey Oval day | Barney Ronay

New No3 strokes the most elegant England cover drives since Ian Bell in a cameo display likely to have won the approval of Kevin PietersenKevin Pietersen announced recently that he needed to watch a batsman for only five minutes to know if he could not just play but play, if he truly deserves – the implication was left hanging – to inherit the England shirt worn with such distinction by KP himself. In which case Pietersen will have feasted hungrily on the brief but wonderfully luminous glimpses of Tom Westley’s shot-making brio during a damp, grey, gripping passage of Test cricket on a rain-ruined third day. Related: Rain halts England charge against South Africa after Toby Roland-Jones takes five wickets...

Feb 11, 2017

Alastair Cook no longer an officer but still an asset to England’s new commander | Vic Marks

The record of former England captains as run-scorers is not that encouraging – only David Gower seems to have prospered – but such is Alastair Cook’s single-mindedness he can buck that trend“He’s no Mike Brearley” was a common lament about Alastair Cook. I’m sure I have heard that sentiment spring from the lips of Cook himself – without referring to himself in the third person – and it was not an observation based on the fact Cook has scored an enormous number of runs for England. He recognised that he had limitations as a captain.But there is one point of contact with the old guru. Cook’s departure from the England captaincy has been more graceful and considered than anyone’s since...