Uncertain Times for English Cricket

Following the end of Kevin Pietersen's reign as England captain the England team find themselves on the edge of disaster, not only has a top player caused a huge rift in the dressing room by calling for the coach to resign, but also the attraction of the IPL has come along again with the player auction looming, who will put pen to paper?

Without a shadow of a doubt Pietersen will sign, with the type of money being thrown around by some of the teams, with the likes of Chennai Super Kings offering $1 Million, can he be honestly be blamed for taking this money for two weeks work? After the week long problems with the ECB Pietersen will undoubtedly accept offers for the IPL after missing out on last years competition.

However he will not be a lone wolf in this endeavour, Samit Patel has already become the first England contracted player of the year to push forward his desires to play in the IPL, talking to Sky Sports News he said "I think it will happen" he also went on to say that the more English players who go and play in the IPL the better as it will provide them with more experience in the shorter form of the game.

However we must ask the big question, is this really how most of the players around the globe feel? are they really wanting to join the IPL for Twenty/20 experience? or is it really the lucrative contracts they will earn, with big money pay outs for short services. Cricketers have never had such sums of money thrust at them, and with footballers earning huge salaries on a weekly basis, maybe they feel they should cash in for their hard work?

The implications for English cricket are not good, financially county and international cricket cannot compete with the IPL, and the ECBs answer? Allan Stanford! and after the week long farce that was the Stanford Super Series in late 2008 where do they go next? The Texan Billionaire uses cricket like his play thing, like an ant farm in his control, and the level of cricket suffered because of this.

The England team have had a difficult six months since Michael Vaughan stepped down as Captain, Pietersen's early successes have been drowned out by very poor peformances in India, losing both the One Day series 4-0 and the Test series 1-0. Pietersen's tactics were found wanting in the First test where India chased down 387 for the loss of four wickets.

Then the whispers began of a backroom split between coach Peter Moores and Captain Kevin Pietersen, when this whole debacle was made public and Pietersen delivered his ultimatum he in effect signed his own resignation. This type of media attention in an Ashes year where the current England team playing well would definately have a chance of beating Australia is not welcome at all.

One must feel sorry for Andrew Strauss, who has been thrust into the thick of the ECBs biggest cock up in a long time, many believe that Strauss should have remained captain after his impressive series win over Pakistan in 2006, but after he was pushed aside in favour of Andrew Flintoff in the horror that was the Ashes series whitewash his confidence fell and he was dropped in late 2007.

Since his comeback in New Zealand in early 2008, Strauss has had a rebirth, he has gone back to his old ways of concentration and discipline outside off stump, he has looked a well organised unit and his scores have reflected this, he was England's best batsmen in India and now as captain he must lead from the front if he is to create a winning England team again.

Strauss must first quickly solve the dressing room politics, he is a mild mannered man who seems to be genuinely well like in the England set up and he must gain the respect and trust of his team now he is at the helm of English cricket. Strauss has already said that Pietersen is a valuable asset to England and that he is glad 'KP' has said he will carry on playing for England.

Pietersen is England's best player, put aside all the problems of recent times and his arrogant demeanour, there is not doubting the mans quality, he is world class and must play every game if fit and available, calls by ex England players for Pietersen to be dropped are nonsense, the issue should be put to bed now and England should move forward as one unit.