KP's battle against the gremlins

Kevin Pietersen resumes his innings this morning, 15 not out overnight, and with more than a point to prove. To his colleagues, the first session of todays play is centered around batting Sri Lanka out of this Test match and leaving enough time to make life very uncomfortable for their batsmen, as was the case in the opening Test at Cardiff just one week ago. For Pietersen, it is an opportunity to not only silence the critics, but to fasten some of the bolts holding his name into that number 4 slot that have recently loosened somewhat, and to dismiss that gremlin that he has been carrying around on his back over the last two years under the guise of left arm spin.

When perusing the list of slow left armers to have taken Pietersen's wicket in this time period, the names could hardly be less stellar. Sanath Jayasuriya, Yuvraj Singh, Shakib Al Hasan, even a Cambridge MCCU player in Zafar Ansari, and now Sri Lanka's Ranaga Herath has added his name to the growing list. Hardly bowlers to strike fear into the world's finest batsmen, I think you'd agree.

So where exactly does KP's issue with left arm spin lie? His technique, on replay, doesn't seem to be all that bad, perhaps his tendency to lunge at the left armer causing his downfall in some instances, but not enough to suggest that this is the source of the problem. Likewise, it most certainly isn't a case of bad luck, as you could count on one hand the amount of 'rippers' that have been his undoing during this period. Lack of exposure to left arm spin can also be ruled out, given that KP's dedication to practice in the nets is widely reported.

Sometimes in sport there are mysteries that remain unsolved, or in some instances somebody (in this case, something) simply has your number. Take boxing for example, the great Sugar Ray Robinson, widely recognised as the greatest fighter to have ever lived, was twice given hell by Britain's very own Randy Turpin, despite his record being hugely inferior to that of Ray's. In boxing the term 'styles make fights' is often banded about, and it may well be that the style of slow left arm bowling makes the fight for Kevin Pietersen an incredibly difficult one.

When Pietersen walks to the crease this morning to resume his innings, one can imagine it won't be too long until Rangana Herath is wheeled back into the attack to have another dart at KP and his frailties against his brand of bowling, and maybe we will be offered more insight into where exactly the problems lie. As for now though, it appears quite unclear as to why a batsman of such obvious quality has been so ruthlessly exposed by what is generally viewed as one of the less dangerous bowling styles.

Good luck to Kevin this morning, and let's hope he can go some way toward getting rid of this particular gremlin.

Any thoughts on this problem gents?

I think an awful lot too much is made of this 'weakness' against left arm spin. On a large number of occasions, KP has rather got himself out by being overly aggressive rather than it being anything particularly technical (although I'd like him to curb his natural tendency to pull the ball to leg, and look to hit mostly between the bowler and mid off).

Oh, and you missed the Australian left armer (Xavier Doherty?) that got KP out in the Ashes - OK, so he did have a double hundred to his name, but it was another victory for the bowler

Yeah indeed mate, a whole number of times it has been due to KP looking to impose himself on what he sees as an inferior bowler (in all likelihood).

As you say, I left off Doherty due to KP being on 200+ at the time, I will confidently say that he overcame his issues in that innings

Agree with you in general though, there is no real technical issue to it, just one of those things that has happened enough times to warrant it being raised repeatedly.

With KP the issues seem to be psychological as much as technical. He never used to have this weakenss, and its not like he hasnt been working on his batting with the coaches. If there were a serious technical flaw they would be working on it, asthey did with Cook and Strauss previously.

As others have said he seems to get himelf out a lot trying to prove he hasnt got a problem, ratehr than batting like Trott does and simply ignoring whats going on around him and what happoened in his previous innings.
KPs got his success because of his mentality ego and competitiveneness, It now seems to be whats holding him back and encouraging him to play risky shots whilst not allowing him to play them as well as he can.

Seems like hes getting over his yips so far today.

By the sound of it, play straight and a bit of patience early.

Sounds so easy...

Be interesting to see his battle with Herath today should it happen.

KP reaches 50, including two overs facing herath. well played sir, now push on to three figures and truly banishthose gremlins!

Indeed, very well played, and a timely contribution.

Well sensible shot selection has worked for him so far, and when he went for the whip it nearly got him out.

It does seem so simple, but theres something with KPs brain that stops him being Trott for a whole innings.

(Another loose crossbat shot as I write this)

That's the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. What can be unrivalled excitement and free-flowing test cricket can also be absolute frustration at his shot selection.

Imperious when he is in form, it is equally annoying when things aren't going his way. A fine balance is the key, I'd say.

KP suffers from a slightly milder case of Botham-Flintoff disease. This is a condition where someone with good batting talent and technique becomes of the mindset that they have to try and hit every ball out of the park. Can be good for entertaining 20-30 run innings, but is not ideal for Test match cricket.

There is a cure, but it is the controversial Trott technique, first pioneered by Dr Boycott. This entails practicing batting with a stick of rhubarb until such time as all agressive intent has been eliminated, and the patient is heard muttering to himself ' I must not give my wikkit away'.

If, by some miracle England win this test then i would rest KP and give Taylor a shot in the dead test. If England draw this, then KP should start the next test to see if he can continue this form.

KP doesn't need rest, mate. He needs time in the middle at the highest level. He has spent a lot of time out of the game injured recently, and this is easily the best way to get back into some rhythm.

No chance of him being rested, and it'd be an astoundingly bad decision if they did.

PSW: chcukle. Just commented that KP's head must be a confusing place on the other thread.

eirebilly: No no no. IF we win this (big if) then we are still on target to win all Tests this Summer. I appreciate this feat is likely to be accompanied by flying pigs, pink elephants and a troupe of performing Dodos, but we really ought to try for 3-0 against the Sri Lankans.

edit: And we hagve a better chance of beating the Indians with an in-form KP than anyone else, I'd say.

Of course England stand a better chance of beating India if an IN FORM KP plays. If and i do mean if, KP isnt performing then its time to look at the situation. I am not for chopping and changing but KP has only had good innings' sparingly, he is not consistent enough right now.

Ouch, left arm spin does it again.

The left arm spin thing is an odd one.

No obvious reason why he should be vulnerable to them , so I suspect it is mainly a mental issue.
Of course , once the "problem" was widely noticed , it ensured that a left armer would always be brought up to confront him at every opportunity , and being the person he is KP set out to prove no problem existed by smashing them out of sight...and after a few failures he became unsure of how to deal with them...more failures and so on ...

One thing the very good KP of few of years back had going for him was a totally uncluttered mind. He knew how good he was and played accordingly.

Now he has doubts , and they shackle him too often. Hopefully he can regain some of that former freedom.
Today was a start, modest but a start.

And now he's gone ...to a left arm spinner.

That was a darned good ball though.

No shame in getting out to a ball like that.

Yeah after reading up it would seem that any batsman would have got out to that ball. 'Shades of ball of the century' as described by the BBC.

I think we can all agree to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one!

As i wrote on the main thread. That ball had some Warne about it, it was a cracker.

Sounds like it was an absolute snorter - will have to wait and see on the highlights as to just how good.

Anyway, you can't complain too much when you get out to a good one - you are after all facing the best bowlers the other country has available. At least for KPs mental well being it wasn't him getting out with a pre-meditated reverse sweep or something similar.

Lunch at the cricket, and lunch for me. Look forward to resuming later, gents.

The ball was indeed brilliant. Bowled him around his legs. Pitched well outside leg and ended up hitting middle and off. Defo worth a watch, had some real Warney turn on it.

relief, that's what I feel. forget he got out to a left-armer, but it was an absolute ripper that would have troubled most of them. KP did put his head down, and most importantly, got a score on the bord, something he absolutely needed, for nothing else, but to prove to himself he can overcome!. hopes this is the start of something, even if that means India has to be at the facing end, because he's a damn good player.

Thing is, what do England do if KP fails again next test? If the series has been won, whats the problem with bloodening a player like Taylor?

I want KP to do well as much as the next person but i should he fail then no-one can be sure that he will be good for the Indian tour. Why not give Taylor a taste and see how he goes?

eire
Continuity and consistency of selection have been keys to England's success over the last few years, even going back to 05, where we only used 12 players through the Ashes series. They are not going to start mucking about now - Flower and Strauss know that KP is one of the key batsmen to us setting up winning positions, because of his ability to score big runs quickly, and that when he's near his best he'll just take apart any bowling attack.

KP needs more time in the middle in a high pressure setting (i.e. Tests, not County cricket) - he has shown good application this innings and just been a bit unlucky, but so far he's only replaced some of the creaky foundations. A few more good innings and we will start to see the real thing, just in time for the India series.

Can't agree there Billy

No free tastes for anyone - a Test match is for the best players in the land unless
there is a legitimate reason to rest someone , injury , burnout , personal issues...

Let Taylor play Lions , ODIs if you like - if he keeps getting runs a spot will come his way sooner or later.

And if KP or anyone else had to miss against India I'd have no problem throwing Taylor in then...would be a tough debut but that is why we call them Tests...

Ok alfie, we can agree to disagree on this one . I just think that KP has lost a bit of his consistency and i would like to see just how Taylor would perform in a test before the crucial series against India.

KP always seems to have a crisis on the go, and his regular travails provoke far more column inches than his intermittent successes.
His record over the last year has been marginally better than Strauss's but all the focus is on him exclusively.
The main reason, I think, is that he has simply made himself a target. His brand of flash self promotion has grated on lots of nerves over time, and not just at Notts and Hampshire ( whom he effectively sacked ) and the MCC who had to handle the KP provoked Mooresgate.
The media promoted him in the good days when his skunk hairstyle, tattooes and trophy girlfriend were an interesting novelty in the staid world of post Botham English cricket. When he stopped making regular runs and tumbled far down the rankings, it simply turned on him, as it tends to do with former heroes on the slide.
The negative bandwagon was established and many jumped on.
He doesn't help himself by staring down from so many billboards, talking in cliches when interviewed, chasing pay days in the IPL, and openly pining for his South African coach ( who is the only one that understands him apparently ).
If there was ever a case for keeping your head down ( off the field aswell as on! ) it applies to KP. Cricket has earned him his wealth and he should concentrate on it completely and spend much less time cultivating sponsors and the media. He should forget interviews and Twitter for the time being.
If he gets back the form of 2005 to 2008 he can put his head above the parapet again and the opportunities for lucrative earnings will still be there.
At the moment he is in danger of being ridiculed as an over-hyped has-been ( witness the ironic reaction of the crowd when he came in to bat yesterday evening ) and being dropped from the side altogether.

The KP provoked moorsegate?

Publically he might not have handled it well, but I for one am extremely happy that we had a man as strong as KP to do what was best for England and tell the ECB, this guy aint up to the job.

just watched the ball that got KP again, I am sure Herath wouldn't have bowled many like those in his entire career.

EireBilly - just to mention that a possible result of blooding Taylor might be him getting a shedload of runs on debut and being very difficult to drop. As several have previously flagged - particularly on the county threads - he's a class act. Nice problem for England, if indeed it's a problem at all ....