London: England players, participating in IPL2, may have considered the ongoing T20 stint in South Africa as a chance to gear up for this summer''s World Cup, but their show so far in the tournament indicates that they would be hard pressed to prevent a repetition of their farcical effort of 1999.
England's top seven cricketers including the highest paid players of the tournament at 1.5 million dollars - Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff - were still battling to find form in season 2 after they failed to put up a great show so far. Last year, Rajasthan Royals' recruit Dimitri Mascarenhas was the only England representative in the inaugural IPL. This time so far, Kings XI Punjab recruit Ravi Bopara was the only England player who had managed to live up to their billing. Bopara struck a masterly 84 off 59 balls to lead his team to victory against the Royals Challengers Bangalore on Friday. ''It may be no coincidence that of the seven Englishmen doing battle in the IPL, only Dimitri Mascarenhas, England's sole representative in India last year, looked at home until, that is, Ravi Bopara's glowing 84 off 59 balls for Kings XI Punjab on Friday,'' a report in the 'Guardian' said. ''Pietersen began with a win against the reigning champions, Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals, but since then his Bangalore Royal Challengers franchise have lost three out of three and Pietersen has been dismissed twice for ducks and stumped for 11 off an Indian spinner who cost Deccan Chargers one-fiftieth of Pietersen's market value. ''He was also found guilty of dissent after suggesting his first-ball leg-before decision at the hands of Muttiah Muralitharan on Monday came courtesy of an inside edge. The boos that have accompanied him to and from the crease in his native land have not really helped,'' the daily added.
Star all-rounder Flintoff was hit badly - three sixes in four balls - by Mumbai Indians' Abhishek Nayar in their initial matches. He was also humiliated by South Africa's AB de Villiers in Durban on Thursday.
Flintoff has returned back home from the IPL on Friday after he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee, while appearing for the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings against the Delhi Daredevils.
He was troubled by a hip injury during the recent tour of the Carribean and was advised to skip the lucrative Twenty20 event. ''Dhoni's contention that Flintoff will prove his worth in the Twenty20 World Cup should he recover in time, currently feels like an article of faith, while Kris Srikkanth, the former India opener working here as one of Chennai's team ambassadors, may have been feeling generous when he said of Flintoff's struggles, 'it can happen to anyone','' it reported.
However, former England captain Pietersen said, ''Freddie and I are pretty experienced at international cricket, so it's not a huge drama if we don't take opportunities like this.
''Yes, we want to and we're definitely trying hard. No one wants to do badly. But a guy like Ravi Bopara is a superstar in the making,'' he said.
All-rounder Paul Collingwood has not been able to get a permananent position as he was placed as an substitute for the Delhi Daredevils. ''I only have two weeks and it would be nice to get a game,'' he said.
His franchise team-mate, the Karachi-born Owais Shah, has also not made it to the field at all, while Essex's Graham Napier, the only uncapped player among the English contingent, was denied a possible Mumbai Indians debut by a Durban downpour on Tuesday.
England's top seven cricketers including the highest paid players of the tournament at 1.5 million dollars - Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff - were still battling to find form in season 2 after they failed to put up a great show so far. Last year, Rajasthan Royals' recruit Dimitri Mascarenhas was the only England representative in the inaugural IPL. This time so far, Kings XI Punjab recruit Ravi Bopara was the only England player who had managed to live up to their billing. Bopara struck a masterly 84 off 59 balls to lead his team to victory against the Royals Challengers Bangalore on Friday. ''It may be no coincidence that of the seven Englishmen doing battle in the IPL, only Dimitri Mascarenhas, England's sole representative in India last year, looked at home until, that is, Ravi Bopara's glowing 84 off 59 balls for Kings XI Punjab on Friday,'' a report in the 'Guardian' said. ''Pietersen began with a win against the reigning champions, Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals, but since then his Bangalore Royal Challengers franchise have lost three out of three and Pietersen has been dismissed twice for ducks and stumped for 11 off an Indian spinner who cost Deccan Chargers one-fiftieth of Pietersen's market value. ''He was also found guilty of dissent after suggesting his first-ball leg-before decision at the hands of Muttiah Muralitharan on Monday came courtesy of an inside edge. The boos that have accompanied him to and from the crease in his native land have not really helped,'' the daily added.
Star all-rounder Flintoff was hit badly - three sixes in four balls - by Mumbai Indians' Abhishek Nayar in their initial matches. He was also humiliated by South Africa's AB de Villiers in Durban on Thursday.
Flintoff has returned back home from the IPL on Friday after he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee, while appearing for the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings against the Delhi Daredevils.
He was troubled by a hip injury during the recent tour of the Carribean and was advised to skip the lucrative Twenty20 event. ''Dhoni's contention that Flintoff will prove his worth in the Twenty20 World Cup should he recover in time, currently feels like an article of faith, while Kris Srikkanth, the former India opener working here as one of Chennai's team ambassadors, may have been feeling generous when he said of Flintoff's struggles, 'it can happen to anyone','' it reported.
However, former England captain Pietersen said, ''Freddie and I are pretty experienced at international cricket, so it's not a huge drama if we don't take opportunities like this.
''Yes, we want to and we're definitely trying hard. No one wants to do badly. But a guy like Ravi Bopara is a superstar in the making,'' he said.
All-rounder Paul Collingwood has not been able to get a permananent position as he was placed as an substitute for the Delhi Daredevils. ''I only have two weeks and it would be nice to get a game,'' he said.
His franchise team-mate, the Karachi-born Owais Shah, has also not made it to the field at all, while Essex's Graham Napier, the only uncapped player among the English contingent, was denied a possible Mumbai Indians debut by a Durban downpour on Tuesday.
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