Now I'm a firm supporter of every single member of any England team playing, and I feel I must emphasize the fact that I have no qualms with Morgan, Trott, Pietersen or Kieswetter playing for England, but I do realize that it is a prickly issue.
So I pose a question to all of you. After noticing that England were opening with two South Africans and being captained by and Irishman, I couldn't help wondering what effect this would have on the youngsters from England. Would they feel nudged out of the system, for example Hales, by the South African imports?
And before you all tear me to pieces I will highlight the fact that I'm the biggest supporter of ANY England players, I simply wish to ponder what the effect of the inclusion of these other players has on the young talent of England.
The England Team
posted on 25/8/11
Its englnd thats given these players a chance to play and im sure they love playing for england. It benefits both parties, the players themselves nd england. I have no problem with it happening, nor should anyone else sue to the fact that these people are eligible to play for england so why shouldnt they? They are as eligible to play as players like hales so he should step it up if he wants tp get into the england set up.
posted on 25/8/11
its also kinda ironic we see a thread like this today on a day where we have given three debuts to young english players who are all products of the county system
posted on 25/8/11
I am going to throw my two cents in: I believe that a cricketer growing up in non test playing country should be elegiable to play test for another country, but can not represent his test side in any other format. He may represent his home side in ODI and T20. If his home side gets test status, he must play tests for him home side.
posted on 25/8/11
Trott and KP have English relatives and i have no problems with them playing for us although i can see why some do. I don't however like the way Morgan was fast tracked into our team but hhe himself has said that he always wanted to play test cricket for England. Kieswetter was asked to play for SA by Graeme Smith himself but turned them down in favour of England hte country of his mother.
posted on 25/8/11
GG
I believe Morgan's mother is from Ipswich.
posted on 25/8/11
Now fast tracked to an England captaincy, can't be bad. I'm sure Ian Bell is delighted.
posted on 26/8/11
I personally dont care if they came from planet zog.. KP and Trott have been outstanding since they became England players.
Aslong as they keep preforming and England keep winning didums to the people trying to get in..
posted on 26/8/11
The effect on young players is exactly what it should be... it shows them the level they have to reach to displace the current occupant in the team.
If there's a teenager out there now who is setting his sights on hitting as devastatingly as KP, or concentrating as long at Trott, or swinging it like Jimmy or staying balanced better than Bell, then all well and good for England.
posted on 26/8/11
To me the key factor is motivation. Players who come over to play and settle in England and then who happen to get picked for the England team and choose to accept it (rather than wait for the call from the country of their birth) is fine for me.
I would be against the ECB paying a young player who is excelling in the SA or subcontinent domestic game to come and play county cricket for 4 years s they play for un instead of teh country of their birth. Remember that Trott and Pietersen both have English relatives also. Trott held a British passport when he made his county debut in 2003. Prior and Strauss both have an English parent and moved here as kids. Dernbach moved here aged 14. Kieswetter came here aged 18, has a British parent and has publicly said he'd rather play for England than SA. KP is probably the 'least English' of the lot, as he is known to have come here for the sole purpose of playing Test cricket, and I suspect that if he'd felt he would have had a better chance of getting in the Australis side than the English one he'd have gone there instead......
posted on 31/8/11
"KP is probably the 'least English' of the lot, as he is known to have come here for the sole purpose of playing Test cricket..."
Bit harsh. KP has an English mother, married an English lass and pays his taxes and dues like anyone else over here. He essentially moved to England because he didn't like the SA Quota system so that rather debunks your theory that he is totally 'money orientated'.