The Hindu : Sport : Fletcher plumps for Pietersen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 06, 2005

Sport

Sport

Fletcher plumps for Pietersen

Ted Corbett

LONDON: Appropriately, on the day of the general election here, England coach Duncan Fletcher has made his own particular selection clear by finding a way to pitch Kevin Pietersen, England's new hard-hitting middle order batsman, in against the Aussies later this summer.

Pietersen, who ran amok against the South Africans in the one-day series three months ago, is the great white hope of English cricket 2005. He is beginning to settle down after a move from Nottinghamshire to Hampshire — where he can observe Shane Warne's variations at close hand — and if he delivers a tenth of the mayhem he promises the Australians will wish they had never heard his name.

Fletcher's intention is to bat Pietersen at No.5, the natural home of the up-and-coming attacking batsman, and in order to make the transition easier Michael Vaughan, the captain, will go from No. 4 back to No. 3. Vaughan is an obliging chap who has already sacrificed his opening place to Andrew Strauss; but then if you have as much talent as Vaughan you can make a success of any position from No. 1 to No. 11.

Greatest grip

Fletcher announced his squad of 25 for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, the tri-series and the five Ashes Tests on Thursday. It consists of 12 contracted players and 13 what you might call B-list stars.

The policy will be for Fletcher to control their summer, deciding when every one of them can play for their county, when they must rest or train or net. It is the greatest grip any England coach has had on teams, including the period 10 years ago when Ray Illingworth was known as The Supremo.

Fletcher has earned his position of power and, if he can agree to a new contract, could even continue as coach beyond his present target of World Cup 2007.

The arrival of Pietersen and Vaughan's move means that Graham Thorpe will bat at No. 4 and Andrew Flintoff at No. 6, but not until the Ashes begin in July. Flintoff wants to play as a batsman against Bangladesh which might cause some spectators to demand complimentary crash helmets if not body armour.

The party has strength in depth, with Rob Key of Kent and Ian Bell of Warwickshire already among the runs this summer and the experienced Mark Butcher recovering from injury.

By the end of what promises to be the most intense summer England has known since it last beat Australia here under David Gower in 1985 there may be another surprise selection. Alex Tudor has recovered from his perpetual injury problems and moved to Essex after being fired by Surrey and is taking wickets. Don't be too shocked if he is called up for the fifth Test at his old home, The Oval.

The squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), Mark Butcher, Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Graham Thorpe, Vikram Solanki, Rob Key, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Ashley Giles, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Kabir Ali, Gareth Batty, Alex Wharf, Jon Lewis, Chris Tremlett, Darren Gough, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, Graham Swann, Geraint Jones and Chris Read.

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