Kev in best England Test side

SOUTH African-born cricketer Kevin Pietersen was yesterday named in England’s greatest-ever Test side of all time. The former Maritzburg College pupil played for Natal B before quitting the country to play county cricket.

He eventually qualified to play for England and went on to become one of the modern world superstars of the game.

The one-of-a-kind batsman made his debut in the 2005 Ashes series, and by its end, he had already carved out a place in English history with his 158 on the last day at The Oval.

It was an innings as audacious and unprecedented as his bleach blonde mohawk, and it saved the fifth Test and secured a 2-1 series win.

Pietersen’s phenomenal strokeplay, the pantheon of scoring shots, and his unmatched ability to turn a game in a session made him a household name, and though he clashed with the administration throughout his time as a player, in some ways it only marked him out more as a singular personality.

Pietersen, of course, is among many South African-born players who have turned out for England.

Queenstown-born Tony Greig captained England while Allan Lamb, who played 79 Tests for England, was an integral part of the team in the 1970s.

Others who graced the grounds around England were brothers Chris and Robin Smith (62 Tests), who grew up and played for Natal.

And then there is the Cape Townborn Basil D’Oliveira who was capped 44 times for England and retired with a Test average of 40.06 runs.

As England prepared for their 1 000th Test match yesterday against India, the ECB - England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) - have announced the greatest-ever Test side.

Over 6 000 English cricket fans voted and the team consists exclusively of Test legends, including three from the current squad – James Anderson, Alastair Cook and Joe Root.

England skipper Root was overwhelmed with his inclusion, saying: “To be selected in the best-ever England men’s Test XI side by cricket fans across the country is incredibly humbling.

“When I think of some of the incredible players who haven’t made the cut, legends of the game such as Denis Compton and Wally Hammond, I’m not sure I would have voted for myself, but I certainly want to thank the fans for thinking of me.

“It’s great to see my current teammates Alastair Cook and James Anderson being recognised for their contributions to England Test cricket too.”

The side is… ALASTAIR COOK: A modern great, Cook has played more matches (156) and scored more runs (12,145) than any other player in England’s history.

First starting as Andrew Strauss’s protege, the 33-year-old grew into a natural leader of the side for eight years, in which he also became England’s longest-serving captain.

Longevity is reflected in Cook’s records and it best reflects his batting style - patient and determined, he is a model opening batsman, with an English record 32 centuries to his name.

LEN HUTTON: Len Hutton’s 364 against Australia in 1938, coming in only his sixth Test match, marked him out as destined for greatness and he would go on to score 19 centuries across an 18-year career which spanned the Second World War.

His record is made even more astonishing by the fact that during the war, he broke his arm so badly that he was forced to readjust his technique and use a shortened bat for the remainder of his career.

Hutton also became England’s first professional Test captain in 1952, and his place atop the batting order is undisputed. DAVID GOWER

Known contemporarily as the face of Sky Sports’ cricket coverage, it was innings rather than live TV which Gower used to anchor.

During the Eighties, when players like Botham fluctuated with their hard-hitting style, Gower remained a constant, graceful player.

How he made his runs was as important to many fans of that era as how many he made, his cover drive still reckoned by some as the prettiest Test cricket has witnessed.

His Test career spanned 14 years and as captain, he masterminded series wins over Australia at home and against India in India.

He is England’s fourth highest run scorer with 8,231 runs at an average of 44.25.

JOE ROOT: The current captain has only been playing Test cricket for six years, so his inclusion showcases the impact of this gutsy, dexterous cricketer, hailed by many as the best batsman England have produced since the Second World War.

The 27-year-old has already notched 13 tons and played a part in two Ashes series wins, and may well earn many more of both in a career from which plenty more is yet to come.

Root is currently ranked as the third best Test batsmen in the ICC rankings and will be looking to add more runs to his tally in the current Test series.

IAN BOTHAM: Beefy’s flair on and off the pitch made him a nationwide sporting personality. His outspoken nature dovetailed with his ability to divert the route of a Test match within a session, whether by smashing it or swinging it miles.

The 1981 Ashes series was the zenith of Botham’s Test career, his run-a-ball 149* in the third Test and five wickets for one run in the fourth Test turning the series on its head.

At one point he was the leading Test wicket-taker of all time, and he still holds the record for the most five-fors (27) by an Englishman, complimented by 5,200 runs and 383 wickets.

Alan Knott: No wicket-keeper claimed more dismissals for England than Alan Knott, who claimed 269 dismissals in his 14 years behind the stumps.

For wicket-keepers, performances behind the sticks are almost exclusively judged on their taking of chances, and not the ball-by-ball work they do. It says something that not only is Knott remembered as a safe pair of hands, but also a terrifically nimble athlete.

His ability with the bat was another asset, scoring 4,389 runs at an average of 32.75. With great glove skills, experience and batting acumen, Knott is well worth his place. GRAEME SWANN: Swann was the top wicket-taker of the 2013 Ashes series, claiming 26 victims.

It’s a testament to his dominance during his five-year spell in Test match cricket, that he’s included despite playing only 60 matches – the least in this side.

The chirpy off-spinner has been England’s finest slow bowler this century, picking up 255 Test wickets and forming an integral part of the England sides that won three consecutive Ashes series.

He afforded England the luxury of reliability – he seldom bowled a rotten spell - and he had a happy knack for striking in the first over of his spell. The team hasn’t quite found a replacement since. FRED TRUEMAN: Answer to the same question in many a pub quiz, Trueman was the first cricketer from any nation to take 300 Test wickets.

His iconic jet black hair and meaningful strut as he approached the crease are iconic memories for those lucky enough to witness him.

Fifty-three years after his final match, the Yorkshireman still remains in the top five wicket-takers in England’s history.

With 307 victims overall and the most potent strike rate of any England bowler to take over 200 Test wickets (49.4), it wouldn’t be England’s greatest side without Trueman.

JAMES ANDERSON: The best swing bowler in England’s history, Anderson’s haul of 540 wickets is a record for an Englishman, and the second-best by any quick in Test history.

Often unplayable while the ball is hooping, what sets Anderson apart is how he has adapted and developed throughout his career into more than just a bowler for helpful conditions, but one who can be relied upon all over the world. He has truly gotten better with each passing year.

A fixture of the side for 13 years (and counting), it’s hard to imagine an England Test match without Anderson taking the new ball. England fans will be hoping they don’t have to countenance it for a while yet. BOB WILLIS: Willis is best remembered for his performance in the third Ashes Test in 1981, when the seamer took a career-best 8/43 to defend a target of 129, after Ian Botham’s brutal 149 had given England a sniff, but he is much more than a one-hit wonder.

An indefatigable and aggressive fast bowler, Willis never seemed likely to give in, and spearheaded England’s attack for 13 years.

Despite a chronic knee problem which required surgery while in his mid-20s and caused him discomfort throughout his career, Willis’s last spell of a day was seldom less hostile than his first, and he persevered to take 325 wickets in his career. - African News Agency (ANA)