‘Fans shouldn’t boo KP’
1 Dec 2009
England coach Andy Flower has called on South Africans to stop booing Kevin Pietersen.
Pietersen received a hostile welcome in his first England tour to South Africa five years ago, and little has changed in the start to this series. Zimbabwean Flower believes it doesn’t influence his play, but called on the fans to stop.
‘I think he is used to the sort of reaction he’s getting from the crowd to be honest and I don’t think it affects him,’ said Flower. ‘But to me it is really disappointing to hear the boos he’s getting.
‘I didn’t like hearing the boos when [Ricky] Ponting walked out to bat in the summer, I don’t like hearing boos when someone is taking a conversion in rugby and I don’t like hearing this crowd booing a great cricketer when he is going out to compete for his country.’
Pietersen has received much jeering, but South African-born Jonathan Trott hasn’t.
‘There is a bit of the pantomime villain about KP out here and he’s higher profile than Jonathan Trott so that plays a part, but I just think it is sad.’
72 Comments
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1 Dec 2009, 12:53 pm
After how KP was treated in SA cricket he doesn’t deserve to be booed.
Rather the selections and quota system that saw this great talent leave our shores.
He would have strengthened our side a lot !!!
1 Dec 2009, 12:57 pm
@Blouste: Nonsense. He was an unknown when he left. Go look at his average (batting & bowling) when he left for Eng. Mediocre at best. Was considered more of a bowler.
No-one could have known he would turn out to be such a good batsmen.
1 Dec 2009, 13:01 pm
@Dantalian:
I can’t argue with whatever his averages etc was…but he was dropped for a quota player and even if he still wasn’t up to his full potential, surely he didn’t turn into the best batsman in the world overnight…???
They should at least have been better with talent spotting, so I don’t share your sentiment.
1 Dec 2009, 13:03 pm
Rather tell me with whom he was replaced and where that individual is in his career now…
I’m one for merit selections…period, even if it means we field a “all black” team.
Not for this political bullshit !!!
1 Dec 2009, 13:05 pm
@Blouste: Pietersen debuted for the Natal ‘B’ side in 1997/98. By the end of the 1999/2000 season, he had scored 222 runs from 13 innings (average of 20.18) and taken 20 wickets at an average of 30.8 runs per wicket. Of these, only three matches were for the ‘A’ side.
He is the one in a million who make it. Good for him I say. But blaming SA cricket/Natal cricket for not picking him at the time is a bit of a stretch imo.
1 Dec 2009, 13:09 pm
@Dantalian:
Look I’m to lazy to go and search some more stats but I’m sure those dont compare to badly to some of the other okes that were given more chance to prove themselves and find themselves at the top right now.
In any case I don’t think the fans have anything to boo him about ala Rattlebones, who were at the top and left…
1 Dec 2009, 13:14 pm
@Blouste: He had the option to stay and fight for a place, but chose to go to Eng. Which meant he couldn’t respresent Natal.
Plus he certainly did himself no favours with some of his comments about SA after being picked for Eng. Tried a bit too hard to nbe a pom when he is clearly not.
But he made a success of it, and hats off to him for that.
Love watching him bat when he’s on fire. But not against SA.
1 Dec 2009, 13:14 pm
@Blouste: Ja. Like Boucher right?, or Neil Mackenzie?
1 Dec 2009, 13:16 pm
@Blouste: Or who exactly were you referring to.
1 Dec 2009, 13:17 pm
@Blouste: Ok. He is replaced by Neil MacKenzie say. What do you say now.
1 Dec 2009, 13:17 pm
@rossoneri:
Basicly just in general….
1 Dec 2009, 13:18 pm
Pietersen was 20 when he left SA and up to that point had done nothing special in terms of his cricket. No-one forced him to go.
1 Dec 2009, 13:19 pm
@rossoneri:
You are missing the point buddy, it’s not about colour but about a merit selection.
Choose the best…
1 Dec 2009, 13:21 pm
@Blouste: No buddy. Read your first racist post and come say that nonsense to me again.
“1. Blouste :
December 1st, 2009 at 12:53 pm
After how KP was treated in SA cricket he doesn’t deserve to be booed.
Rather the selections and quota system that saw this great talent leave our shores.
He would have strengthened our side a lot !!!”
1 Dec 2009, 13:21 pm
@Dantalian:
Like I said, I’ve got no prove but then a finger probably have to be pointed in the talent scouts diretion.
Surely they should have seen sighns of what was possible to come….
1 Dec 2009, 13:22 pm
@Blouste: Exactly, and at the time Pietersen was nowhere near the best. ‘Quota’ or no ‘quota’.
1 Dec 2009, 13:24 pm
@rossoneri:
So now not being for quota selections makes me a racist…please.
Go beat another drum . I’m not interested in your futile accusations or interpretations.
1 Dec 2009, 13:25 pm
@Dantalian:
Then point taken.
Fact is he should propably have been looked after better.
1 Dec 2009, 13:28 pm
@Dantalian:
When say Herchelle doesn’t perform he gets dropped, wich is right.But he also gets told what to fix and that he is still in the equation should he work on that.
I just doubt this is how KP was handled, hence leaving so easily…
1 Dec 2009, 13:33 pm
I just find it very difficult to believe that you are complete bollocks and then in a season or two on, your the best in the world…
Surely great students of the game should at least have identified the talent and worked on it.
1 Dec 2009, 13:35 pm
He is only booed because of his attitude and his arrogant persona.
Not because he left when he was struggling to make the Natal B side…
1 Dec 2009, 13:36 pm
Who at twenty is a fully blooded champion cricketer. At that age selectors and management should be looking at talent and technique not necesarily stats.
Blouste has a point if sa cricket dropped him because of stats then he was mistreated or quotarised.
You develop on talent at that age!
1 Dec 2009, 13:38 pm
@WP_:
The aussie cricket team called KP “FIGJAM”. This is because of his arrogance.
1 Dec 2009, 13:41 pm
The story goes that KP and Gulam Bodi were both vying for a contract for the senior squad. Both similar players at that stage…
Bodi got the contract, KP though he was a better player (which was debateable at the time). KP blamed the quota system – had a point? and decided to try his luck elsewhere… (england)
1 Dec 2009, 13:43 pm
@wallabie.: Well exactly! That’s typical KP!
1 Dec 2009, 13:45 pm
@WP_:
Well I believe KP proved himself…. as for Gulam…well, makes you think hey…
1 Dec 2009, 13:47 pm
@Blouste: KP could have stayed. He was offered a contract at Nottinghamshire (or wherever) and part of the deal was that he could not be counted as an overseas player. Which meant he could not play for Natal. So he made the choice. And it worked out for him. No-one’s fault. Just the way the dice fell.
1 Dec 2009, 13:48 pm
@Blouste: Ya well, if you look at the way they turned out… Casts a bad light on certain previous political interference and systems..
1 Dec 2009, 13:49 pm
@Blouste: And Clive Rice indentified KP’s talent and told him to leave. Rice was the coach at the county which offered KP the initial contract. You win some you lose some.
1 Dec 2009, 13:50 pm
@WP_:
Cant blame a player who is not scared to back himself.
He had belief in himself and tested the waters elsewhere and now he gets paid heaps more than what he thought he was worth.
1 Dec 2009, 13:51 pm
@Dantalian: Exactly, he could have stayed, and I reckon he should have. If he had any balls, he would have stayed and fought for his place properly.
If he was good enough, which he has shown he is, then he would have made it eventually, but he left the country at about 21 or 22 (not sure?).
Np patience. Look at a gut like Alviro Petersen, breaking into the said at 29, and look how well he’s doing…
1 Dec 2009, 13:52 pm
@Dantalian:
Exactly, doesn’t it raise questions why Clive identified him but he was skipped in SA.
That sort of prove my point, Clive being an ex Test player and all.
Weren’t there agendas behind him looked over for a more “appropiate player” in Sa ?
1 Dec 2009, 13:53 pm
@wallabie.: No you’re right. If you dont back yourself than who will?
I like that. But there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. And getting up people’s noses.
1 Dec 2009, 13:55 pm
breaking into a side at 29 is tough when one could do so at 25. few more years earning the big bucks.
1 Dec 2009, 13:55 pm
@Blouste:
“but he was dropped for a quota player”
Natal was in need of an opening batsman at the time. They found that Indian guy (can’t remember his name at the moment) who was an opener and could also bowl some spin. KP at that stage saw hiself as a spinner, who could bat a bit. Therefore he was selected ahead of KP.
As you can see from his record in post 5, he only played Natal B therefore your claim that he was dropped for a quota player is false.
Most cricketers, from all over the world, who go to England improve their game manifold. It has to do with the fact that you play on a more regular basis (nearly everyday) against top quality players from around the world.
1 Dec 2009, 13:57 pm
@WP_:
Too true.
I have no idea where KP got his arrogance but its so bad to the extent the aussies called him FIGJAM…”f**k I’m Good Just Ask Me”.
1 Dec 2009, 13:57 pm
@WP_:
Looke I’m not opposed to somebody sticking around and fighting for his place or proving himself.
It’s just that when a message have been given to you and you maybe think that whatever you do might not make a difference, that sort off makes you negative and you go to where you think you’ll get a fair chance.
1 Dec 2009, 13:59 pm
@Blouste: No-one could possibly have predicted things to turn out like they did.
There was nothing to suggest KP was all that special. Schools cricket included.
Clive took a educated guess/gamble and it paid off.
1 Dec 2009, 14:01 pm
@nama1:
Point taken…
See my other posts regarding someone missing out on the talent spotting then.
Why did Clive rate him to go and play for a good English club as you said with top players if he couldn’t make the Natal B side?
Someone or some system farked up big time somewhere…
1 Dec 2009, 14:03 pm
@nama1: Gulam Bodi, was more of a spinner in those days…
He was picked in the SA U-19 side (if i’m not mistaken) actually as a spinner…
Hence similar players…
1 Dec 2009, 14:04 pm
@WP_: Agree. If he stuck it out he would have made it. No doubt.
1 Dec 2009, 14:06 pm
@Dantalian:
Well I suppose if Clive could answer that question we would have a better idea…
Unfortunately this happes in school sports aswell, so no real token to go by.
Fact remains for me, he turned out to be the best, surely that sould have been identified.
Question still remains, why wasn’t it identified in our country – but by one of our country’s great players overseas…
It raises questions, no matter what angle you take on it…
1 Dec 2009, 14:07 pm
@Blouste: What message Blouste. Say the words of the message that was given.
1 Dec 2009, 14:08 pm
@wallabie.: hehe, I knew what FIGJAM stood for. F”king funny…
@Blouste: Yeah, but I reckon you gotta take the rough with the smooth, you;ll hit setbacks along the way… But what does it say about you when you just up and leave after the first little sppedbump?
Not much…
1 Dec 2009, 14:11 pm
@Dantalian: Yup exactly.
1 Dec 2009, 14:12 pm
I still dont see it necessary to boo him, the negative things he said might be merited ( he knows the truth about how he was handled ) we don’t.
I’m just saying an incident like the one where F du P was dropped for Ricky just to make up quota numbers are not right and not the solution ( mentioned in John Smit’s book )
It make players negative in both ways and are detrimental to our country’s sport…
1 Dec 2009, 14:17 pm
@Blouste: KP is the exception to the rule. Everybody did what they thought was the best/right thing at the time.
I don’t blame KP and I don’t blame any of the unions involved.
1 Dec 2009, 14:18 pm
@rossoneri:
Figuratively speaking boet.
Like the was it Nel – Langeveld saga when you get dropped for a player that’s not performing aswell as you.
It’s a slap in the face for both players in its not the right message !!!
We lost both players.
Do you think that is right?
This happens and are not right, also look at situation I mentioned in post 46
I ask again, do you think this is the way forward?
Merit selections are the way to go…
1 Dec 2009, 14:21 pm
@Dantalian:
It could be, there are just to many things like this happening, see post 46 to make me think it was a mere exception…hence his reaction and attitude towards it
1 Dec 2009, 14:30 pm
@Blouste: I dunno. Maybe we’ll find out when he writes his 5th book.
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