CRICKET : England cricket boss Andy Flower has revealed Kevin Pietersen is “chomping at the bit” to get at South Africa.
England cricket boss Andy Flower has revealed Kevin Pietersen is “chomping at the bit” to get at South Africa.
Pietersen will remain behind to complete his rehabilitation from his Achilles injury when the England team fly out to Bloemfontein on Saturday for a winter tour which comprises two Twenty20s, five one-day internationals and four Test matches, and will catch a flight on November 9.
Pietersen wielded a bat for the first time in three months on Friday afternoon in a training session and England team director Flower said: “He’s still got a bit of rehab work to do to get up to speed. Pietersen’s been pushing himself running. He’s chomping at the bit to get going.”
He added: “Hopefully he’ll be ok to play in the warm-up game against South Africa A and then ready to go at the start of the one-day series.
“That is what we are targeting. The infection has slowed everything up otherwise he would have been back during the English summer.
“But he brings a superb record, flair, confidence and the ability to counter attack.
“The fact that we won the Ashes with limited contributions from the two big stars (Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff) is a good thing for the unit and the country’s cricket and when they come back that adds strength and power. That’s a good thing.
“He’ll just love getting a bat in his hands again and hitting the ball. That’s what he loves doing.
“He is important to us. He’s a world-class player who has a special talent and a special confidence. He is a huge boon for us.”
