The ECB is unwilling to deny or confirm that the stories surrounding both, Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores, resigning have resigned. Yet the frantic pace at which matters and discussions are being held, it is becoming increasingly obvious unless peace is miraculously brokered, England could see another captain and coach and former England players and experts are bemoaning conceding advantage to aggrieved Australia ahead of the Ashes.
Former players and commentators on the game including Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Dominic Cork, David Lloyd, Bob Willis and Shaun Udal have expressed anger and anguish that matters could not have been held more delicately in ensuring that the rift between the England captain and England coach did not get out of hand.
While former cricketers such as Nasser Hussain felt that Kevin Pietersen would win the battle because there was place only for one man’s ego, he was equivocal of the fact that Pietersen could have handled the same issue with a little more discreetness and respect for power. His colleagues are with him on this issue, stating Pietersen could well regret this move to make urgent calls to the ECB.
Others like David Lloyd put forth the logic that KP should have approached Geoff Miller, the chief selector and not Peter Moores on Michael Vaughan’s selection because Moores could have still been denied.
Few people saw KP’s logic in fighting for a player who has not even been a shadow of himself in the last one year and fewer still wondered if KP did indeed enjoy the full support of his team, especially on issues such as these.
While Moores has an unenviable record of coaching the team to eight win, eight draws and two losses in twenty-two Tests, most felt there could have been a better way of handling things. Lloyd though is keen that Lancashire keep one candidate’s spot open for the coaching position should Moores be indeed relieved of the coach’s duty.
But most are in agreement that this was the worst thing to have happened to England’s cricket team since the double resignation of Vaughan and Paul Collingwood in late July-early August when KP was handed the reins. With the Ashes to follow later in the year, they fear this was akin to handing Australia a lease and vantage point from where to relaunch their struggle for power.
A few have expressed their views that the ECB had full knowledge of what it was getting into when they appointed Pietersen as skipper and yet allowed this situation to get out of hand.
The bets are already on that Andrew Strauss is likely to be handed over the skipper’s job at least for the Test series in the West Indies even as Andrew Flintoff would have been a hot contender given that he plays all forms of the game.
Has the turmoil claimed a turbulent period for England?
All the news since the fiasco broke out:
KP: Problems with all Non- SA Coaches Now?
Pietersen: Getting Out Before Being Booted Out?
A S&T Special: Moores and KP: In Need of a Magic Wand
Crisis Hits England: KP Threatens to Quit Over Vaughan, Moores
Vaughan blames Mumbai fiasco for Selectors’ Omission
England Crisis Deepens: New Coach Imminent
England Appoint New Skipper for Fourth Test
