Kevin Pietersen confident after South Africa stint
Returning back from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 after a stint playing first class cricket there, English middle-order batsman Kevin Pietersen has expressed confidence going into the Ashes next month. England face Australia
in the five-Test match Ashes series starting from 25 November.
Pietersen, who has displayed some pretty ordinary form in the recent time has yet to hit a century in the five-day format since http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 2009. He made a scratchy 80 in one of the Tests against Pakistan but apart
from that, he had an ordinary average and dropped from the ODI side to take on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755.
Pietersen then went to South Africa to play for Kwazulu Natal Dolphins and in two innings scored 36 and 0.
However, speaking to the BBC Sport, he said, "I felt brilliant in South Africa. I'm full of confidence going to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graham-c60529 Ford, a guy I've worked
with since I was seven years old, a good family friend. It was also good to go and face the Kookaburra ball and bat in the sunshine."
Ford is a former South African coach and was one of those who was short-listed to coach http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 before he declined the offer.
Referring to the previous Ashes series that was held in Australia in 2006-07, Pietersen acknowledge that the 5-0 defeat still hurt. However, he said that the experience of playing in that series will help
the English side in the forthcoming Ashes.
"There were a few of us involved in that, so we've handed over some sort of knowledge as to how we want to try and do better and be better prepared for what is thrown at us this winter and I'm sure we
will do," he said.
However, Pietersen played it safe when asked to comment on Ricky Ponting’s form as the Australian captain. He said that Ponting was a great player and need not be told when to retire from the game.
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