Few people would have predicted that two South Africans would walk out to toss in the fourth and final Test at the Oval starting on Thursday.
But that is what will happen after Kevin Pietersen, born in Pietermaritzburg on June 27, 1980, was on Monday appointed captain of England in all forms of the game following the joint resignations of Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood as England's Test and limited-overs leaders on Sunday.
Pietersen becomes the fourth South Africa-born player to captain England after Tony Greig, Allan Lamb and Andrew Strauss.
The result of the Test is academic as South Africa have already built a winning 2-0 lead in the series after victories at Headingley and Edgbaston.
Continues Below ↓
Relations between Pietersen and South Africa's captain, Graeme Smith, who is seven months younger than Pietersen - have been famously bad for some years following Pietersen's attack on the South African racial quota system when he quit South Africa to make his career in England.
However, it appears that the two men have agreed to let bygones be bygones. After being reminded on Monday that he had called Smith a "muppet" in his autobiography, Pietersen laughingly described that as water under the bridge.
"That's all in the past. We're getting on very well at the moment. Graeme (who struck an unbeaten 154 at Edgbaston) played like a superstar on Saturday, and he sunk us. Hopefully he won't play an innings like that against us while I'm captain."
Smith isn't convinced that the England selectors have made the right decision. Speaking late on Sunday night in his team hotel in Birmingham, Smith said: "KP will always get you runs as a player, but I think the captaincy might curb his flair as a batter.
"I thought they might appoint a younger bloke, someone like Alastair Cook, and build him up.
Continues...
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
