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Pietersen's support grows
By Jon Artman May 3 2005
Pietersen himself remains insistent he is still "nowhere near'' making the Ashes cut, but Australia's master leg-spinner Warne and former England batsman Crawley do not share their young colleague's modest appraisal of his own prospects.
Now the Hampshire players have recognized Pietersen's outstanding ability and wnat him to be selected fror the England Test Squad as well as the one-day side. But he has a close battle with rivals Bell and Key. South Africa-born Pietersen made a sensational impact on England's limited-overs series in his native country earlier this year, and it seems he has already made enough of an impression to convince his Hampshire colleagues he is ready to face Australia this summer.

Warne commented on Pietersen:
"I could not be more delighted with what I have seen from Kevin Pietersen. He has been absolutely great - a really good guy to have in the team,'' said the Hampshire captain, who was speaking at Friday's Rose Bowl launch of the National Australia Bank's two-year sponsorship deal with the Twenty20 Cup.


Shane Warne has backed Pietersen for England selection © Getty Images"Apart from being an extremely talented and dangerous batsman, he is excellent to have around the place.''

England can be heartened that the latest round of Frizzell County Championship matches has seen a clutch of their batting hopefuls hit form with a vengeance.

Even so, Warne is adamant Pietersen is well worth his place ahead of most of the rest.

"I would definitely rather bowl to quite a few of the other batsmen supposed to be maybe playing against us in the Ashes than him - no doubt about that,'' he said.

"I think he'll be in there. I don't mind him getting a few runs against us - as long as we win the Ashes that would be okay.''

Crawley is equally sure of Pietersen's credentials, urging England to waste no time in elevating the newcomer to the Test squad.

"He has been working pretty hard at his game and he will be absolutely fine,'' said the former Lancashire captain, confident that qualms in some quarters about whether the unorthodox technique Pietersen displayed in South Africa will serve him so well in Tests against Australia are unfounded.

"I think they should definitely pick him. But if they are going to they have got to pick him straightaway - get him in (the warm-up series) against Bangladesh.

"It might not be great news for us at Hampshire - but it will be best for England,'' Crawley concluded.

Pietersen himself is renowned for his self-assured demeanour on and off the field - but he is still at pains to point out he has plenty to prove to the selectors.

"I am nowhere near the Ashes squad. I've only played one-day games,'' said Pietersen.

"My one-day stats in South Africa were pretty good,'' he added of a maiden series which saw him average well over 100.

"But I have got a lot of hard work to do and a long way to go if I'm going to get into the side. I hope I get a call-up - but it is up to me.''

Pietersen hit three one-day hundreds for England against South Africa

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