Can Pietersen step up, again?

Despite a summer of low scores, Twitter rants and exile from both county and country, many still consider Kevin Pietersen the key if England are to retain the Ashes this winter.

Rewind back to May and Pietersen was enjoying what he described as the  best week of his life, inspiring England to their first ever World Cup victory in the ICC World Twenty20 and witnessing the birth of his first son.

Since then little has gone the way of England’s talismanic number four who has not scored a hundred for England since March 2009, and who’s Test average is dipping perilously below 50.

Having been dropped justifiably from the one day series against Pakistan Pietersen joined up with new county Surrey in a bid to resurrect his form in time for the Ashes. No doubt an environmentally conscious decision from KP who parted company with Hampshire earlier in the year after observing that "geographically it just doesn't work – I live in Chelsea."

A hundred against Division Two outfit Sussex at Hove in the CB40 provided welcome time in the middle however a second-ball duck against Glamorgan in the County Championship ensured that questions still remained over his consistency at the highest level.

In a desperate attempt to regain form Pietersen agreed to travel to his home country of South Africa at the end of the season to play for KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins in two four-day matches.

A breezy 36 from 48 deliveries against the Warriors including six fours was largely overshadowed by a second-ball duck in his final game against the Titans, yet Pietersen remained upbeat about his progress abroad obviously rejuvenated by a return to his birthplace.

Questions still remain however, and as one of only seven survivors of England’s last series down under  many have suggested that the 30-year-old does not deserve to simply stroll back into the dressing room as he has done for the last five years.

Critics will no doubt point to statistics, and rightly so, 2010 marks the first year in which Pietersen has failed to average above 40 in Test cricket passing 50 only once, not to mention an average of just 17.81 in 17 one day games since 2009.

It must not be forgotten also that England’s heroic triumph over the Aussies last year was orchestrated largely in his absence, an Achilles injury ruling him out of the final three Test matches, a factor that some attest to his dip in form over the past twelve months.

The decision to retain Pietersen for the Ashes therefore hinges almost entirely on reputation. England fans will still nurture fond memories of a young Pietersen charging down the wicket to the likes of Warne and McGrath in 2005, and if his performances in the World Twenty20 are anything to go by the fire still burns brightly within.

Much like his middle-order colleague Paul Collingwood Pietersen has made his reputation as a man for the big occasion, and they do not come much bigger than the historical battle between two of cricket’s most fiercely competitive nations for a small but highly sought after urn.

Whether he will once again unleash that fire still remains to be seen, but one thing that you can be sure of is that come November 25 there is one name that Ricky Ponting will be hoping is not scribbled on the team sheet and that is Kevin Peter Pietersen.

Young Finn wins Emerging Player Award

Steven Finn was named as the ICC's Emerging Player of the Year 2010 at the annual awards ceremony in Bengaluru, India after an impressive maiden year in Test cricket.

Having only made his debut in March of this year against Bangladesh, called up to replace the injured Graeme Onions, Finn  has made a lasting impact on the England team this summer taking 32 wickets at an average of 23.21 including consecutive five wicket hauls at Lords and Old Trafford in May and June.

On the docile pitches of the sub-continent he showed a level of patience well beyond his years and was duly rewarded a first home cap in the return series against the Tigers two months later. Finn's impact was instantaneous, carrying the England bowling display in the first Test at Lords with figures of 4 for 100 in the first innings, going one better in the second innings leading the attack to claim his first five wicket haul, finishing the match with a tally of 9 wickets and a first Man of the Match award in Test cricket. His award was a testament to the hard work and determination shown by the young fast bowler sending down a titanic 49 overs all together in back to back innings.

In a less attritional affair at Old Trafford Finn proved equally affective. With Bangladesh following on once again it took a mere 10 overs for Finn to extract five Bangladeshi batsman and secure an innings victory for his team. His performances in the two match series earned him his first Man of the Series Award and was enough to put Finn as odds on favourite to board the plane to Australia come November.

A further flurry of wickets in the first two Test matches against Pakistan affirmed his place in the England eleven and consequently his nomination for the award.

Finn beat Australia's Tim Paine, Pakistan's Umar Akmal, and Sri Lanka's Angelo Matthews to the title that was awarded to Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

Graeme Swann and James Anderson were also included in the Test Team of the Year, and Paul Collingwood and Stuart Broad selected in the One Day Team of Year.

Swann, who was also nominated for the Player of the Year Award picked up by Sachin Tendulkar, played 10 Test matches within the period under consideration for the award, between August 24, 2009, and August 10, 2010, claiming 49 wickets at an average of 27.55. Anderson notching up 41 wickets in two less matches at 22.53.

Interestingly had the consideration period been more accommodating to the English season and accounted for the final two Test matches between England and Pakistan, Swann would have taken 16 more wickets at an improved average of 23.72. His figures against Pakistan reading four matches, 22 wickets at 12.22! Quite amazing when you also consider he was initially overlooked in the preliminary shortlist, only added when the ECB voiced there bewilderment at his absence!

A successful year for England's limited overs team that included series wins over Australia and away to South Africa could not be ignored and it was Stuart Broad and Paul Collingwood who broke into the One Day Team of the Year for 2010.

Broad, who has been ever present for England in all forms of cricket this year featured in 19 competitive one day matches taking 37 wickets at an average of 24.45, including 10 wickets in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.

Collingwood who again has been a regular feature in all England ventures this past year, racked up 24 matches in coloured clothes, averaging 47 with the bat and picking up 12 wickets. His performances on the tour of South Africa stood out in particular, hitting an unbeaten 105 at Centurion and averaging a colossal 91.66 in the four match series in which England triumphed 2-1, also claiming the Player of the Series Award after the final match was washed out.