Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Peter Pietersen is a professional English cricketer who plays for the England national team. He is a right-handed attacking batsman and an occasional off spin bowler. He also plays for the Hampshire cricket county club and plays for England in the One day as well as Test teams.

In 1997 Pietersen made his first class debut for Natal. Further he expressed his displeasure regarding the racial quota system of South Africa and then moved to England. In 2004 while playing against Zimbabwe he debuted in One day International cricket. In 2005 while playing against Australia in the Ashes series he debuted in Test cricket.

During his domestic career He impressed members of Nasser Hussain's (captain) England side when playing for KwaZulu Natal in 1999. he took four top-order wickets and, despite batting at number nine, scored 61 not out from 57 balls, hitting four sixes. Hussain then recommended that Pietersen secure a contract with an English county side.

In 2000, Nottinghamshire coach Clive Rice, who had seen Pietersen play in 1997 in South Africa at a schools week, heard that Pietersen was playing club cricket in Birmingham and offered him a three-year contract to play for the county in England. In his first season he made 1,275 runs with an impressive batting average of 57.95, including 218 not out in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 352 with John Morris at Derby in July 2000.

Pietersen made his international debut with the England national team in the year 2004-05 against Zimbabwe. In the One day International series which comprised of five matches Pietersen got an opportunity to bat in three innings in which he had an average of 104 which included a score of 77 not out and finally the series was won by England with a score of 4-0.

At Bloemfontein in the second One day International Pietersen faced 96 deliveries and scored 109 not out. Due to this score his One day average became 234 which was an unbelievable record. At Cape Town he scored 75. At East London he faced 69 deliveries and scored 100 not out. This was the fastest century by any English player in a One day International. However England lost this match by 8 runs. At Centurion Park the last game was played and the score was 32 for 3 when Pietersen came to bat and he scored 116 but was unsuccessful in avoiding a defeat. Although this series was lost by England by a score of 4-1 Pietersen accumulated 454 runs in 5 innings and was awarded the Player of the Series.

Major achievements

• Emerging Player of the Year award in 2005.
• Was one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the year 2005.

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