Pirate Galaxy » ona, its not enough just to be a great player

Kevin Pietersen will be playing for his fifth IPL franchise during the 2016 tournament having joined Rising Pune Supergiants. Supergiants.Supergiants, who are captained by MS Dhoni and play reigning champions Mumbai Indians in Saturdays IPL opener, have picked up a player in decent nick, too.Pietersen has shone over the last 12 months for Surrey, Melbourne Stars and St Lucia, as well as in his native South Africa and the subcontinent.Read below for the story of Pietersens year with the bat - and then catch full live coverage of the IPL on Sky Sports.County Championship Division Two (Surrey) Pietersen scored a maiden triple hundred for Surrey against Leicestershire Innings: 6Runs: 469Hundreds: 1Highest Score: 355noPietersen missed last terms IPL in order to play for Surrey and try to earn his England place back - and he promptly amassed the highest score of his career. KP made an unbeaten 355, which contained 36 fours and 15 sixes and came off a mere 396 deliveries, while batting against Leicestershire at The Oval in May, but his mood was soured shortly after when, following a meeting with newly-appointed director of England cricket Andrew Strauss, he was told trust issues were impeding his return to the international set-up. Pietersen batted in just one further first-class innings for Surrey in 2015, making two against Lancashire, before he headed to the Caribbean…Caribbean Premier League (St Lucia Zouks) KP enjoys playing in the Caribbean. He won the World T20 there, dont forget! Innings: 10Runs: 295Fifties: 2Highest Score: 83noA zouk, if you didnt know, is a carnival beat with a rapid tempo - and, speaking of rapid tempos, thats exactly what Pietersen produced when biffing 83 from 57 deliveries against Jamaica Tallawahs in Kingston. KPs pyrotechnics could not fire the Zouks to victory on that occasion, though, as Chadwick Walton (76 from 48) and that Chris Gayle fella (64no from 42) ran amok. Pietersens 39-ball 73 versus Barbados Tridents a game earlier, in which he smoked seven fours and five sixes, did propel his side to a win, but they were dumped out in the group stages for the third straight year.Ram Slam (Sunfoil Dolphins) The former England man hit an impressive 115 off 66 balls in the Ram Slam Innings: 7Runs: 401Hundreds: 2Fifties: 2Highest Score: 115noBack-to-back fifties for Pietersen in the Caribbean were followed by successive centuries in South Africa. The 35-year-old smashed 10 sixes into the Kingsmead crowd in his 115 off 66 balls against Lions, before nailing seven more in a score of exactly 100 from 45 deliveries versus Knights. Pietersen followed that up with consectutive half centuries, although he was less effective when he returned for his sides last two games - scoring 27 in the semi-final before hitting 10 in the final as Dolphins lost to The Unlimited Titans.Big Bash (Melbourne Stars) Pietersen struck 62 from 36 balls in Melbourne Stars semi-final win over Perth Scorchers Innings: 9Runs: 323Fifties: 4Highest Score: 76Pietersen played an important part as Melbourne Stars broke their semi-final curse and booked a spot in the BBL final after four previously failed attempts. KP was the Stars top run-scorer for the tournament, cracking fifty in nearly half of his innings. That included 62 from 36 balls in the semi-final win over Perth Scorchers, but another half century in the final (74 off 39), could not secure the Stars the title they so desperately covet. Usman Khawaja - in sensational form during the Australian summer - hit 70 from 40 balls, helping Sydney Thunder to a three-wicket win, successfully chasing down 177.Pakistan Super League (Quetta Gladiators) Pietersen bats for Quetta Gladiators in the final of Pakistan Super League Innings: 9Runs: 215Fifties: 1Highest Score: 53Pietersen wasnt quite the powerhouse Pakistan fans expected for his nine matches with the Quetta Gladiators in the inaugural season of the PSL. He struck only one fifty in nine innings, although he did at least save that for a low-scoring semi-final against Peshawar Zalmi, when his 53 off 38 balls proved crucial in a one-run win. The final was a less successful affair, however, with KP managing only a run-a-ball 18 in a six-wicket defeat to Islamabad United - Dwayne Smith (73 off 51) and Brad Haddin (61no off 39) putting on an ultimately match-winning 85 for the second wicket. Sky Sports is the only place you can watch all the action from the 2016 IPL, starting on Saturday as Pietersen and the Rising Pune Supergiants face defending chapions Mumbai Indians, including Englands Jos Buttler, live on Sky Sports 3 from 3pm. Or watch live without a contract from £6.99, on NOW TV.Also See:How to watch the IPLGet Sky SportsButtler joins Mumbai IndiansFleming to coach PunePhil Niekro Jersey . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Josh Tomlin Jersey . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. https://www.cheapbraves.com/73o-ronald-acuna-jr-jersey-braves.html . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. Grant Dayton Jersey . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Francisco Cervelli Braves Jersey . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball.Barcelona star Dani Alves says Alexis Sanchez has been a success at Arsenal because he is the teams protagonist.But it was Sanchezs virtuoso nature that meant he could not succeed at Barca, where Alves insists you need to completely understand the teams philosophy.The pair, who played together at the Nou Camp until Sanchez switched to the Gunners in 2014, will clash again in the Champions League quarter-final second leg in Catalonia on Wednesday, with Arsenal trailing 2-0 from the first leg at the Emirates. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Alves said: Alexis didnt fail at Barcelona but its hard to play here because you have to understand the playing idea.Hes a great player and I always knew that he would be a success when he left, especially if he went somewhere he would be the protagonist. Hes the kind of player who needs that.In the end, youre going to have the protagonism anyway but you have to understand that, at Barcelona, its not enough just to be a great player. You need to have a great understanding of the way Barcelona play and, if you do, then you will have a long career here. At 32 years old, Dani Alves says he still has ideas to one day play in England Those that come and go, and that doesnt mean theyre bad players.dddddddddddd They go somewhere else and they enjoy it because theyre beasts. But at Barcelona its not enough just to be a beast of a player.Pep Guardiola will take over at Manchester City this summer but Brazil international right-back Alves joked that he does not think his former manager will give him a call.Alves, 32, says he still has the desire to play in the Premier League, but said: I dont know when.I would like to play there - to experience what I have seen so many times from the sofa at home. The people experience football in England; the way there is a corner and its cheered like its a goal. I have always said that it was something that I wanted to do.Also See:Mertesacker: Arsenal lack biteBeckham defends WengerGomes: Arsenal like a small teamIsco unsuited to Arsenal ' ' '