Jones receives Pietersen boost

2 September 2008

Kevin Pietersen is desperate to welcome Simon Jones back into the England team

Kevin Pietersen has revealed how he wants Simon Jones to be part of his future England plans once he recovers from his latest knee operation.

The new England captain has demonstrated his leadership skills already since taking over the job four weeks ago by recalling Steve Harmison to the Test line-up at the Brit Oval and then persuading him to reverse his decision to retire from one-day cricket.

He has also galvanised key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff into delivering some of the best cricket he has played in several years to help England win the first four matches of the NatWest Series against South Africa and they stand on the brink of a whitewash should they triumph at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff tomorrow.

But today he has announced he wants 29-year-old Jones to also be included in his new England regime providing the recent knee operation that ended his season with Worcestershire is successful.

“I’m a huge Simon Jones fan,” said Pietersen. “I’m a good mate of his, I’ve always kept in touch with Simon and I speak to him regularly.

“I’m probably not as distraught as he is about the operation he had last week but I’m gutted because I wanted Simon to come to India and play for me.

“He was an unsung hero of 2005 and he definitely has it and he’s someone I definitely want to get involved again.”

Jones, who has not played for England since 2005, was on course to be included in the plans for the pre-Christmas tour of India after claiming 42 championship wickets at 18.02.

He was selected for the Lions squad to face South Africa at Leicester on August 14, but was forced to withdraw with a hamstring strain and has now had a further knee operation to leave him battling for an England recall next summer - just ahead of the Ashes series - instead.

Simon Jones took 18 wickets in the victorious 2005 Ashes series

Should Jones return, he will take his place in a dressing room that has experienced a major overhaul since Pietersen took over with the new captain insisting on high standards.

That was very much in evidence at Lord’s on Sunday when England stormed to a seven-wicket victory despite having already wrapped up the series last Friday at the Brit Oval.

“I think one of the biggest performances in this series was on Sunday,” explained Pietersen.

“We won the series 3-0 and the guys could have taken their foot off the pedal and we could have easily lost.

“We were 20-odd for two after seven overs and in the next 10 overs we scored more than a hundred to win the fixture which just shows how well the guys have played and the confidence I want them to play with.

“I want them to play with no fear and just go out there and enjoy themselves, express themselves and throw their talent out.

“Tomorrow will be a different game but I’m sure the boys will be up for it because it’s a big target at the end of the game to reach second in the world.”

England will train at the newly-built SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff, the venue for next summer’s first Ashes Test, providing the weather eases and are expected to name an unchanged side to claim the victory that would elevate them to second in the one-day world rankings.