Pietersen searches for former self

Kevin Pietersen is keen to "take a step back" on the county circuit as he bids to pay Surrey back by sheer weight of runs

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Kevin Pietersen is aiming to use his brief stint with Surrey to help him “discover where I used to be”.

He agreed a loan deal on Tuesday, the day he was left out of the England squads for the Twenty20 internationals and NatWest Series against Pakistan.

Hampshire, Pietersen’s county employers, agreed to the ECB’s request to loan the batsman to Surrey for the remainder of the season as he attempts to rediscover his form ahead of this winter’s Ashes in Australia.

Pietersen scored 38 on his debut last night, in a 90-run Clydesdale Bank 40 defeat by Worcestershire at the Brit Insurance Oval, and is set to line up against Sussex at Hove in the same competition on Saturday.

However, of arguably greater importance will be his performances in Surrey’s two remaining LV= County Championship matches, the first of which, against Glamorgan at the Oval, starts next Tuesday.

“The two four-day games are going to be ideal for my preparations,” Pietersen told Surrey TV. “It’s understandable that the (England) selectors would like me to play some four-day matches.

“Since my Achilles injury, the only first-class cricket I’ve played have been Test matches, and it’s pretty difficult if you’re not playing at the top of your game to try and sort your game out there.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to get back into nick and sort myself out for what is going to be a very exciting winter.

“I’ve got to try and discover where I used to be, which will be good for English cricket.

“Hopefully I can get some good knocks in the next couple of weeks and see where we end up before the end of the summer.”

Although the majority of the cameras were trained on Pietersen last night, when he showed glimpses of his most fluent strokeplay, he is keen to make good use of a break from the often unforgiving international cricket.

Pietersen, who scored 38 yesterday, has a maximum of five more innings for Surrey before the end of the season

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In Surrey - “a fantastic club”, according to Pietersen - he believes he has found a county whose welcoming atmosphere can help his game flourish.

“There’s obviously going to be a spotlight on me while I’m here, and I’m looking forward to the challenge, but it’s nice to take a step back,” he added.

“Surrey have been absolutely amazing - I can’t thank Surrey enough. It’s a great club, a great history, and they’ve made me feel very comfortable already.

“Hopefully I’m going to repay them with my experience to the younger players who want to pick my brain, and to score some runs and get back into reasonably good form.

“I feel pretty good and it’s going to be an exciting couple of weeks. It’ll be fun - there are some funny blokes in county dressing rooms.

“The Brit Insurance Oval is an incredible place to bat and I’ve enjoyed reasonable success there. Hopefully the next two weeks brings some more.”

Pietersen, who has not played a championship match for two years, has not featured for Hampshire since announcing in June his intention to leave the county at the end of the season.

Surrey captain Rory Hamilton-Brown, meanwhile, has urged the latest addition to his team to make his move to the Oval permanent.

“It is fantastic to have a man of Kevin’s calibre come into your dressing room,” said Hamilton-Brown, who made 80 last night, adding a rapid 79 for the second wicket with Pietersen.

“He’s great to have around and I’d love to see him here next year. He’s a fantastic player.

"Our club has a lot of young players and aspiring England players, so to get one of the best players in the world would obviously be good for us."