Sport Blogs

Not really a blog but an article i did for English Language coursework.

Some of you boys have already seen it.

After Kevin Pietersen’s premature exit from the World Cup due to a hernia, we profile England’s star batsman, and examine how his negative image in South Africa has inspired him to become one of the world’s most prized wickets.

Widely regarded as England’s best batsman, before the successful 2010/11 Ashes tour down under Kevin ‘KP’ Pietersen had endured a rough time in test matches, his last century was in March 2009 in Bridgetown, culminating in some quarters calling for him to be dropped from the test side (he was in fact dropped from the ODI team to play Pakistan in September 2010). However, KP answered his critics in typical KP style, with a magnificent 227 at Adelaide and scoring 360 runs at an average of 60. It is this mental resilience, combined with an extraordinary natural talent that makes KP so special. A naturally confident person, KP has often being called ‘arrogant’ and ‘cocky’, something he is quick to refute, “I think being the called those words isn’t fair, there is a clear difference between being cocky and having belief in your own ability”. And it is clear that KP has had a belief in his own ability throughout his career, as proven when he upped sticks from his native South Africa and moved to England to try and enhance his chances of playing international cricket. The move caused controversy in South Africa, and as fortune would have it, after 4 years of dominating first class bowling attacks, KP’s first full international cap was in an ODI series in South Africa. In the fiery cauldron of Bloemfontein, KP faced the hostile crowd and smacked an unbeaten 108 off 92 balls to win the match for England. He finished the 7 match series as top run scorer with 3 centuries. It was during this series, under intense pressure, that he stood up for his chosen country, and made the rest of the world take note: a superstar was born.

KP has never been one to shirk from controversy. Bold, brash and confident are words that are instantly associated with KP’s media image. In January 2009, he issued an ultimatum to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) saying that as the team captain, he couldn’t work under coach Peter Moores. The ECB responded controversially in sacking them both. KP, after being appointed England captain in July 2008, had clear plans for where he wanted to take the England team for the future. He wanted to the big fish; however, it was clash of egos with Moores that led to his sacking. If KP had just been a bit more defensive and accepted what he thought was wrong, then he would have remained as England captain, but it is the not the KP way. He says what he thinks with a refreshing honesty. And it is this honesty that has led to clashes with teammates in the past. In 2004, his Nottinghamshire captain, Jason Gallian, emptied KP’s kitbag over the side of the pavilion because of comments KP made publicly about Gallian’s captaincy. “The guy is undoubtedly a good player, but he needs to learn several lessons in not just cricket, but life also, otherwise he will end up making himself a lot of enemies.” Gallians prediction has been proved right, as KP’s attitude and self belief has riled some aspects of the cricketing world. Whatever KP does or says, he struggles to stay away from the limelight.

And it is KP’s honesty that put him under the spotlight in his first post 2010/11 Ashes interview. Whilst congratulating everyone involved with the victory, he cant help himself but have a dig at his disastrous captaincy regime under Peter Moores, comments like, “We won the Ashes because I quit the captaincy”, “'There is no way in this world that we would have succeeded under that regime” and “We would not be here today if I had not done what I did then" these quotes show what KP truly feels, and it is with this unique openness which earns him plaudits. Not many players on the international sporting scene talk with honesty that KP does, and it is because of this, that people have negative views about him. However, on closer examination, these comments do show a self indulgent arrogance. He uses the personal pronoun ‘I’ on numerous occasions. This could be easily be perceived as the self centred arrogance, that many cricket fans often criticise him for. Ex-England captain Angus Fraser gives this view on KP, “What a cricketer, but unfortunately, he knows it all to well, and sometimes his over confidence lets him down. He just needs to focus on the team rather than himself”. It’s this respect for the player, but dislike for the person which is a recurring theme amongst cricket fans.
Kevin Pietersen is a rare sort of cricketer. He is now a huge celebrity all around the world, has mega money endorsements (Adidas, Red Bull and Brylcreem just to name a few), yet he is also quite a private man. He now has a 6 month year old son, Dylan who is the apple of his eye. KP is a massive family man, as epitomised when he asked the ECB if he could have a break during the tour of West Indies back in 2009, to visit his wife Jessica Taylor. If you ask the majority of journalists of their opinions of KP as a person to interview, they will tell you he is a well spoken, polite and friendly man. This is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum to what most people believe KP to be like. Steve James, the cricket correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, gives his opinion on KP, “Pietersen's personality is misunderstood. To see him most days on this tour (South Africa away, 2009/10) was to meet the most unfailingly polite person imaginable. Others grunt and groan, Pietersen will always smile and greet. He can be gauche, but he is driven. Rather such a hard-working professional in your side than some lazy prima donna”. There is clearly much more to Kevin Pietersen than many people and cricket fans alike realise, and he is a rare phenomenon, both on and off the cricket field. Whilst KP may not be universally liked, he is certainly universally respected.

 

yeah cheers. deffo few errors in there. wrote it nearly 2 years ago

 

haha fair play.

 

cheers bey