Pietersen included despite injury concern
LONDON: Kevin Pietersen was included in a 14-man squad for next week’s third Ashes Test against Australia at Old Trafford despite concerns over his calf injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced yesterday.
Pietersen will be given time to prove his fitness for the match, which starts at the Manchester venue on Thursday, with Nottinghamshire’s James Taylor added to the squad as cover.
England have also altered their bowling options by bringing in Monty Panesar as a second spinner and recalling fast bowler Chris Tremlett in place of seamers Steven Finn and Graham Onions.
Pietersen, who has been sidelined for much of this year, suffered his latest fitness setback in England’s crushing 347-run second Test win at Lord’s last week and could not field in the second innings.
Taylor always looked the most likely candidate to be called up as cover after the ECB sought special dispensation for the diminutive batsman to guest for Sussex in their ongoing tour match against Australia at Hove.
The 23-year-old Taylor, 64 not out overnight, went on to make an unbeaten 121 against Australia on the final day of three yesterday as Sussex declared on 368-7, two runs ahead of the tourists’ first innings 366-5 declared.
Taylor played two Tests against South Africa last year but didn’t make the England squad for the tours of India and New Zealand, falling behind the likes of Nick Compton and Joe Root in the England pecking order.
However, he has been in good firstclass form this season, scoring 824 runs in 15 County Championship appear- ances, including an unbeaten double century against Sussex in June.
‘‘Kevin Pietersen is continuing his recovery from a calf strain and he will be assessed by the medical team closer to the start of the Test and we have therefore included an extra batsman in James Taylor who has been in good form for Nottinghamshire,’’ England national selector Geoff Miller said.
Panesar has been included in the squad alongside off-break bowler Graeme Swann on account of Old Trafford’s reputation for providing spin-friendly pitches which has endured despite the ground not having staged a Test for three years because of extensive redevelopment.
Tremlett, who starred in England’s 3-1 Ashes series win in Australia in 2010-11 has not played a Test for 18 months, with injuries checking his progress. But the giant paceman has impressed for Surrey this season.
Finn played in England’s narrow 14-run first Test win at Trent Bridge but was dropped for the second Test at Lord’s, with all-rounder Tim Bresnan selected in his place.
Meanwhile, in Pretoria, controversial Australian batsman David Warner had to be separated from South Africa A wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile during his 33-run second innings on Saturday.
The umpires intervened twice at LC de Villiers Oval in South African Highveld city Pretoria after sledging between the pair became heated for the second consecutive day.
Vaughn van Jaarsveld pulled Tsolekile away from Warner as the war of words boiled over on the final day of a fourday match.
Warner failed to match his superb 193-run first innings, but hit six fours off 53 balls before being dismissed.