I can't say I am too upset over Michael Vaughan's resignation as England cricket captain. His batting has clearly suffered since he took on the job. He may have the 2005 Ashes victory on his CV, but the only team England have taken a Test series from lately is New Zealand. (And can Vaughan really take much of the credit for the Ashes? The Aussies whitewashed England not long afterwards in Australia to regain the crumbling urn. History is likely to see England's win in 2005 as Freddie Flintoff's Ashes -- or, if you're an Australian historian, as a fluke result mainly caused by Glenn McGrath's untimely ankle injury).
So few tears here for Vaughan -- but quite a bit of trepidation about the selection of Kevin Pietersen to replace him. It's not like appointing Joey Barton as captain of England, but it's not so long ago that KP was a bit of a bad boy. The selectors must be hoping he'll grow into the job, and everyone says he's matured into a real team player. Has he? Graeme Smith played a true captain's innings to win the thrd test for South Africa, but Pietersen's innings the day before wasn't exactly that of a guy auditioning for the big job. Trying (and failing) to reach his hundred by lofting the ball over a fielder placed to tempt him to do exactly that may well have cost England the game -- and triggered Vaughan's demise.
The other concern about Pietersen is that he's clearly obsessed with money. He has been gagging for the opportunity to cash in on the riches available in the IPL and has made no secret of his ambition to play there next year. What assurances have the selectors received from him about this? The last thing England need with the Ashes looming again is a captain who keeps looking wistfully at the money on offer in Bangalore and Mumbai.
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