Flynn backs Pietersen switch

Kevin Pietersen launches Scott Styris for six having swapped his hands over

New Zealand batsman Daniel Flynn has come out in support of Kevin Pietersen’s improvised switch-hitting shot he used in the NatWest Series opener on Sunday.

The tourists were as stunned as the rest of the Chester-le-Street crowd to watch Pietersen launch two sixes over the boundary off all-rounder Scott Styris having switched from his normal right-handed stance to left-handed.

It was a brilliant display of technique of the highest quality, but those two shots immediately provoked a debate about whether his actions were fair on the bowler or the fielding side.

But as New Zealand prepare for the second match at Edgbaston on Wednesday, they have welcomed Pietersen’s tactics rather than criticise his audacity.

“If you’re good enough to play it I think you should be allowed to go for it,” said left-hander Flynn.

“I don’t see why he should be restricted in playing it so fair play to him. I’ve tried hitting right-handed shots myself but I can’t hit them as well as that.

“I’m left-handed in nearly everything I do - golf, cricket everything except kicking a ball - so I can appreciate how good a shot that was.

Daniel Flynn hits Graeme Swann for four in a far more orthodox manner during Friday's NatWest Twenty20 International

“You have to give him credit because it was a great shot and he’s obviously worked on it and it came off for him.

“On another day it could go straight up in the air but he managed to get it right in the middle on both occasions.”

New Zealand are hoping to emulate Pietersen by putting in the hours of practice required to implement the switch shot into a match situation.

“The way cricket is going, improvisation is going to be the key and if you’re capable of doing it, it’s going to make it hard for the opposition to set fields to you and bowl to you,” Flynn added.

“I think all our guys are working on it. I think it’s one of those things you have to really work on at practice and once you’ve built your confidence up enough you can bring it into the game.

“I’m not sure the guys are quite up to it just yet, but I’m sure some of them will get there.”