Cricket: Australia to get early look at Pietersen

BRIGHTON, England - Australia gets its first chance to put a major dent in England's new-found winning cricket culture when it meets one-day sensation Kevin Pietersen in tonight's Ashes tour opener.

Pietersen, the fastest player in history to score 500 one-day international runs and currently averaging 139.50 in one-day internationals (ODIs), will be the wicket the Australians will be gunning for in the Twenty20 match against a Professional Cricketers' Association XI at Arundel.

Pietersen is a good chance to earn his first test cap soon and will be a formidable opponent during the triangular one-day series, where Australia and England will try and establish an edge in the lead-up to the Ashes.

Australian batsman Michael Hussey, a key strategist at this stage of the tour because of his recent county stint with Durham and his extensive Twenty20 experience, said the early wicket of Pietersen would be a prized one.

"Certainly I think any sort of psychological edge we can get over him, or if we can have a good look at him and maybe have a pick at it over his technique and try and detect a couple of weaknesses, it would be handy," said Hussey.

"I've played against him a couple of times and he's definitely an exciting talent, but it will be good to see him under pressure in a one-day international sort of setting.

"It will obviously be a lot different atmosphere than a friendly Twenty20 slog around."

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming will lead the PCA side, which also includes allrounder Paul Collingwood, a Durham teammate of Hussey's and part of England's one-day squad for the-series which starts June 16.

With such a long lead-up before the test series starts on July 21, Hussey and batsman Simon Katich will play an important part in helping coach John Buchanan devise strategies against many of England's players, having seen them during the county season.

Victorians Shane Warne and Brad Hodge, who are still on the county circuit, will likewise do the same when the test squad assembles.

Hussey's Durham contract gave him a good look at English fast bowler Steve Harmison, who has been trumped as one of the keys this Ashes.

Although the West Australian found Harmison introverted and hard to get to know socially, Hussey knew the big quick was regaining his confidence on the field, particularly at home, where his reported struggles with homesickness are not a concern.

"He was pretty rusty to start with to be honest, but by the fourth game he was starting to hit his straps a lot better and starting to knock over a few top order batsmen whereas in the first couple of games he was not bowling as well and just cleaning up the tail," Hussey said of Harmison, who took 10 wickets in the two-test demolition of Bangladesh.

Hussey also advised his teammates to be wary of seamer Matthew Hoggard, who took 14 wickets against Bangladesh.

Hoggard struggled in Australia in 2002-03, but Hussey warned he could be a handful on seaming English wickets.

"If he can get the ball to swing in English conditions, I think he's a much improved bowler and he's sort of slipped under the radar a little bit, so I think we've got to be very careful about someone like him," he said.

Australia will name its side just before the match, which starts late afternoon local time (4am Friday NZT).

* PCA Masters XI:

Stephen Fleming (Notts, capt), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Devon Malcolm (former England), Darren Maddy (Leicestershire), Chris Read (Notts), Chris Lewis (former England), Graeme Swann (Notts), Mark Ealham (Notts), Phil De Freitas (Leicestershire), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire).

- AAP