Pietersen handed opener's role
February 07, 2012 13:53:47 UK
Kevin Pietersen has been handed a key role opening the innings for England in their upcoming one-day series against Pakistan in the UAE.
Kevin Pietersen has been given a key role at the top of the order for England.The big-hitting right-hander struggled for runs during the Test series, which ended in a 3-0 whitewash for the tourists, but England coach Andy Flower is hoping for big things from Pietersen in the four ODIs.
"He is going to be opening the batting for us in this series and that should be really exciting to watch," Flower confirmed.
"We started with him in that position in the World Cup and unfortunately he got injured and had to go home early. But he showed glimpses of what he could do.
"If he stays in long enough, he will win games for us in that position. It hasn't worked out well for him at number four recently, but I'm really excited to see him embrace the challenge of opening."
If he stays in long enough, he will win games for us in that position.
Andy Flower
England are 1.33 to win the one-day series and gain some revenge for their Test thrashings, with Pietersen 13.00 to be his side's leading batsman, while Eoin Morgan is 26.00.
Pietersen is 6/1 to register a century in the first ODI on Monday, while he is 10/1 to be dismissed for a duck.
His last ODI century came against India in November 2008 and since then he has passed 50 on just three occasions, while at the World Cup in India last year, Pietersen made scores of 39, 31, 59 and 2 before being forced out of the tournament by a hernia injury.
England reached the quarter-finals without Pietersen, before being routed by ten wickets by Sri Lanka, who went on to lose to hosts India in the final.
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