Which country next for Kevin Pietersen?

[cabinboy]

King Kevin becomes eligible to play for South Africa on 5 January 2018, but even though he could walk into the current team, will this be his eventual choice? I'm sure he would love to play for the country of his birth and SA have picked older players before. But with their quota system and convoluted selectorial procedures, nothing is certain.

Obviously he will also be eligible to play for Ireland and Scotland but the Head of Australia's players union thinks he should be allowed to play for Zimbabwe's.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/...31-glxduo.html

Whichever side he picks, it's going to be interesting, and a welcome return to international cricket.

[Sir Virgs and Zamora]

Easy question. Which ever country pays him the most and has the best tattoo artists. Although he might well appear on your to set soon on tattoo fixers.

[slop]

Tatooine. Duh.

[D/L]

I'd have voted "none" had it been offered as a choice and, looking at the current voting, that seems to be the unanimous choice.

It's probably best that Pietersen goes from one team of domestic T20 players to another until he finishes playing. That way the time he spends with them may only give rise to short term problems behind the scenes.

The idea that he would walk into the South Africa side is laughable, quotas or not.

[CDogg16]

The question itself is quite depressing. What has international cricket come to when players can pick and choose what nation they play for. It's no problem him playing for English because of his parentage, but seeing him play for Zimbabwe would discredit international cricket.

There is no way he would play Test cricket for SA. He'll be nearly 38 when he's eligible. Why would they block the route to the team of a promising player or drop an established international for someone who will be around for a couple of years at the most?

Also, if he wanted to couldn't he play for Ireland now?

[D/L]

Replace the lions with shamrocks?

[1000yardstare]

In about a year he will become a professional golfer and probably only play in the IPL.

[thedon]

Is this the the same Pietersen that claimed he was no longer a Suth Efrican but instead as English as a cold, miserable, wet, rainy day? Had to vote "England" surely sheer patriotism and lofty principles wouldn't allow him to play anywhere else? lol.

He has been out here quite a bit recently where he is really popular with fans and players/ex players it seems (Freddy gets out here a bit and is also as popular). Great batsman to watch, shame he doesn't play test cricket.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by CDogg16

The question itself is quite depressing. What has international cricket come to when players can pick and choose what nation they play for. It's no problem him playing for English because of his parentage, but seeing him play for Zimbabwe would discredit international cricket.

There is no way he would play Test cricket for SA. He'll be nearly 38 when he's eligible. Why would they block the route to the team of a promising player or drop an established international for someone who will be around for a couple of years at the most?

Also, if he wanted to couldn't he play for Ireland now?

Ever heard of Kepler Wessels and John Traicos?

This topic would appear to be another imaginary stick to beat KP over the head with. So mercenary that he considered switching nationalities, even though he didn't.

[Michelle Fivefer]

What prompted the creation of this thread? Has anything been said by KP himself or come from the KP support network?

I'd say it was almost certain that Pietersen will never play international cricket again.

[thedon]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

Ever heard of Kepler Wessels and John Traicos?

Heard of Traicos, but I think you made the other one up. lol.

It would be good if he played test cricket again, though obviously not likely.

[slop]

Originally Posted by Michelle Fivefer

What prompted the creation of this thread?

I feel you're looking for logic other than "it's a windup".

[Sir Virgs and Zamora]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

Ever heard of Kepler Wessels and John Traicos?

This topic would appear to be another imaginary stick to beat KP over the head with. So mercenary that he considered switching nationalities, even though he didn't.

Er what? Are you actually comparing someone who moved country due to apartheid and then being able to play for his home country and someone who played for Rhodesia when it was a saffer province (so played for saffers) before he then played for Zimbabwe (his own country which had new international status) with someone changing nationality because of a personality clash? Come off it.

I do agree that this is a stupid thread though. He won't play internationals again. Good luck to him picking up a good wedge.

[sharky]

Worst thread ever.

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by Sir Virgs and Zamora

Er what? Are you actually comparing someone who moved country due to apartheid and then being able to play for his home country and someone who played for Rhodesia when it was a saffer province (so played for saffers) before he then played for Zimbabwe (his own country which had new international status) with someone changing nationality because of a personality clash? Come off it.

I do agree that this is a stupid thread though. He won't play internationals again. Good luck to him picking up a good wedge.

Whatever the reason they are still examples of players picking and choosing which country they play for and, let's be honest, they are hardly the only examples. Maybe I should've said Luke Ronchi.

[Redmachine]

Why is he eligible to play for Scotland or Ireland? How could he qualify for Zimbabwe?

[Rebelstar]

Originally Posted by Chin Music

None of the above. He'll probably stick to playing his t20 tournaments until he jacks it in/doesn't get picked for any franchise.

Agree.

I read the BBC teletext bit on him qualifying to play for South Africa in 2018 and my reaction was to question why they'd want him at the ripe old age he'll be...... (38 reading CDogg pointing out much the same thing)


As for mention of Kepler, he couldn't play for South Africa so played for the aussies, so not really comparable situations because KP could play for England in Tests IF England were to pick him.....

[Ali TT]

Originally Posted by Rebelstar

Agree.

I read the BBC teletext bit on him qualifying to play for South Africa in 2018 and my reaction was to question why they'd want him at the ripe old age he'll be...... (38 reading CDogg pointing out much the same thing)


As for mention of Kepler, he couldn't play for South Africa so played for the aussies, so not really comparable situations because KP could play for England in Tests IF England were to pick him.....

How old will Trott be when he qualifies for South Africa?

[geoff_boycotts_grandmother]

Originally Posted by Rebelstar

Agree.

I read the BBC teletext bit on him qualifying to play for South Africa in 2018 and my reaction was to question why they'd want him at the ripe old age he'll be...... (38 reading CDogg pointing out much the same thing)


As for mention of Kepler, he couldn't play for South Africa so played for the aussies, so not really comparable situations because KP could play for England in Tests IF England were to pick him.....

Someone should tell the selectors this.

[Rebelstar]

Originally Posted by Ali TT

How old will Trott be when he qualifies for South Africa?

I neither know nor care.

He did well for England, dropped out and then England were foolish enough to recall him and stupid enough to play him in a different role and no surprise that was his England career over.

Do you seriously think South Africa will want him under the set of circumstances specific to him? Likewise KP, as if the baggage that comes with either of them would appeal to anyone more than the desperate.

I'm sure minnows would take him in a heartbeat, it's fairly common for them to look out for whatever foreign players they can make their nationality (not that England is any better), but I doubt KP for one would 'stoop so low' just to play in World Cups, Trott might perhaps.



Either way this thread and the BBC just reek of dreamland, not where dreams become reality but where dreams become threads, or in the case of BBC, dreams become stories to sell the readers on.

I see BBC has done a piece on football in China, as if a lot of money thrown at a few players, and the top five on their highest fees list hardly convince me that they'll be a threat any time soon. They'll pinch a few household names from bigger leagues and infuriate a few people, but most of the bigger names are 28+ and 'old news'. This isn't even 'old news', it's trying to make a story out of nothing, that players can qualify to play for other countries which may count as old news as in it's not a new thing, but engineering a story out of nothing is weak from the BBC/media.