Trott shows Pietersen how to make an impression
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
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The second day's play in Chittagong was Jonathan Trott's, writes Mike Atherton in the Times, because the ‘Forgotten man’ of the tour gave the selectors a reminder of his ability with a well-timed century. Come the first Test, Trott will open with Alastair Cook if England decide to play five bowlers, or bed back in at No 3 if they play a four-man attack.
His idiosyncrasies (or irritations, depending on your point of view) have not disappeared, but the Bangladesh A players seemed less annoyed than South Africa’s. Trott still fiddles at the crease and spends an age marking out that curious line of his that stretches a yard or two down the pitch from leg stump. But somehow the pace of the game is slower here, the Bangladeshi players calmer, and so his mannerisms were less grating.
Simon Barnes looks at Kevin Pietersen's run of poor scores and wonders what has happened to him, that he should fail four times in succession against Lilliput.
A trip to Bangladesh should have got feet and bat and mind back in rhythm, but so far we have seen nothing but a troubled man. The first Test against Bangladesh begins on Friday. Not a walk in the park, but a serious test of technique and inner strength.
Oliver Brett technically analyzes the reasons behind Pietersen's loss of form in his blog in BBC Sport.
The trouble is, if he doesn't get out poking around like an old lady at a church fete he gets out playing an expansive shot, which is exactly what happened when he was bowled by part-timer Mohammad Ashraful on Wednesday. Which, exactly, is the more pernicious mode of dismissal?
Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo