Pietersen to open with Strauss in World Cup

[Sureshot]

BBC Sport - Cricket - Cricket World Cup: Kevin Pietersen confirms opener role

Kevin Pietersen has said he and captain Andrew Strauss will open for England during the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Pietersen will fill the problem position, one he has not occupied in 110 previous one-day internationals.

With Matt Prior failing to impress at the top of the order in Australia, England picked Pietersen to partner Strauss in the warm-up against Canada.

"I'm excited by it, the team are excited by it and I'm looking forward to it," Pietersen, 30, stated.

Well, I wouldn't have gone for KP personally, but it's an aggressive move.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

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Aggressive move but I do not think that Opening Innings would help England. Middle order will be weakened and likes of Wright and Yardy cannot hold the Middle order if few quick wickets fell. Also that experience will be missing

Their lineup could be I suppose

Strauss
Kevin
Trott
Morgon
Collingwood
Yardy
Wright
Prior
Anderson
Broad
Swann

 

[Paki007]

ypu middle order looks a bit weak.Top order should take the responsibility now

 

[Sureshot]

Morgan isn't in the squad, for starters.

Where's Bell? He may not have had the most productive series vs Aus, but he will be playing and I think Bopara is more likely to play than Wright. No idea why you'd think England would ever conceive of playing Prior at 8 either.

Strauss
KP
Trott
Bell
Prior
Collingwood
Yardy
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson

I reckon they'll go with that, though I'd prefer Shahzad over Bresnan.

To get it a bit more on topic, I would definitely have gone with Trott, but then some might say, you need to get the innings off to a better start, but I don't feel comfortable with KP against the spearheads of attacks, like Gul, Malinga, Lee, Steyn, etc.

Then again, the whole life of an England fan with KP has been to not expect anything normal from him.

 

[Gaurav_7]

To be honest, Bell was a better option for opening the innings.

 

[Haarithan]

Don't know why people are unhappy regarding this move by the ECB ! Pietersen has managed only one fifty over the last 18 months of ODI cricket batting at #3 or #4 and that by no means is enough from a player as talented as him . Also , our openers have failed to produce what they call a 'typical Virender Sehwag - Gautam Gambhir' start in India . TBH , Strauss-Davies opening partnership was beginning to look dangerous as the games progressed by , but now that the ECB had other plans in dropping Davies , i could not think of any other guy than KP himself to fill that place . Trott is fantastically consistent no matter where he bats . He is gonna score the same 50-60 from 75-85 odd balls on an average basis . By opening the innings with Trott , England haven't enjoyed the most ideal of starts . As for KP , we knew how beautifully he combined with Craig Kieswetter in the t20 Championships at the Caribbean . Not once , not twice , but thrice they managed to put on a fifty plus stand in less than 35 balls . So to me , KP opening the innings for England makes perfect sense .

but I don't feel comfortable with KP against the spearheads of attacks, like Gul, Malinga, Lee, Steyn, etc.

Seriously , have you by any chance forgotten the treatment Steyn & Malinga got from KP in the Super Eights and semis of the World t20 2010 respectively ?? Also add the likes of Mitchell Johnson to that ill-treatment list .

 

[Sureshot]

Since when did T20 have anything to do with 50 overs? Nor would Johnson ever be classed as a spearhead of an attack.

 

[Haarithan]

Since when did T20 have anything to do with 50 overs? Nor would Johnson ever be classed as a spearhead of an attack.

I basically meant to convey that Powerplay batting was what he enjoyed most ! Not much to argue about the second point though .

 

[simsanta123]

I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that KP usually gets out trying to attack a bit..(to live up to his reputation). As an opener, he'll be even more pressurised to do this. i have my fingers crossed.

 

[Paki007]

but why not bell?

 

[pcfan123]

What good is Bell down the order?

 

[aussie1st]

They obviously don't see Bell as aggressive enough. England missed a trick by not opening him after the T20 against Aus, he was in good form then and looked good in the T20 opening. But since then hes gone down hill. Opening KP could pay off if he clicks but if not the middle order doesn't have much hitting power.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

This will back-fire. KP will feel the heat of his reputation and give his wicket away inside the first 5 overs. Should've tried Bell, or better yet, never removed Davies.

 

[sifter132]

Since when did T20 have anything to do with 50 overs? Nor would Johnson ever be classed as a spearhead of an attack.

C'mon dude... what is a 'spearhead' anyway? Mitch has taken the most wickets for Australia in all forms by a long way and he's always the guy who gets the ball thrown to whenever a wicket is needed. He may not be a GREAT 'spearhead' but to argue that he could never be classed as one is a bit petty.

Oh and back on topic... why not? Give him a burl - he could be really good there. And it means he probably won't hole out to spinners so often. I wonder if teams will bowl spin at him early to tempt him.

 

[pcfan123]

I think it's safe to say that Lee is the spearhead now. The Spearhead is generally the seasoned voice of reason in the attack. Someone who can adapt his game to the required situation and motivate others by example. By my definition I wouldn't classify Mitch as the current spearhead. He deffo was one but then he fell off the wagon big time. Makes me chuckle that we all were trying to compare him to Wasim at one point.