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Smith sees Pietersen’s wicket as key

South Africa captain Graeme Smith has no doubt that Kevin Pietersen will represent the key wicket during his side’s upcoming Test and one-day series against England.

South Africa-born Pietersen has yet to play a Test against the Proteas.

He quit the land of his birth to pursue a career with England in protest at a racial quota policy he felt was blocking his chances with Natal.

Pietersen’s very public criticisms of the system sparked an angry response in South Africa, with Smith saying: “I’m patriotic about my country and that’s why I don’t like Kevin Pietersen.”

For his part, the Hampshire and England batsman labeled Smith “a muppet.”

And just to add extra spice there is now a chance that Pietersen could be captaining England in the one-day series with the Proteas.

Pietersen will lead England for the first time in today’s one-day international against New Zealand, with Paul Collingwood serving the first of a four-game ban for his side’s slow over-rate at The Oval on Wednesday.

That ban will still be in force when the first one-day game against South Africa takes place at Headingley on Aug. 22.

Pietersen is unlikely to have endeared himself to South Africans by saying of his promotion: “Captaining England has been a dream of mine ... To be asked to captain your country is the ultimate honor in sport and I feel privileged and proud to have been asked to lead the side on Saturday.”

Smith, speaking before Pietersen’s captaincy appointment was announced, said: “We view Kevin Pietersen as a key batter in the England line-up — and that is how we are going to look at things going into the Test series. If we can negate him as a batter in this series and make life very difficult for him in terms of being a batsman, then we feel that can play a bit part in controlling England’s batting.”

“He is a top player and the switch shot he played has made big news everywhere and credit to him,” Smith said. “To pull that shot off was fantastic. If you are prepared to take that risk and pull it off, then congratulations.”

Opening batsman Smith, speaking at Taunton where South Africa begin their tour with a three-day game starting tomorrow, said: “If he does get the captaincy, it is going to be a responsibility that is going to be interesting for him to handle. There is obviously a lot of speculation around with what has been happening yesterday — and Colly [Collingwood] has provided us with a nice interesting press conference first up in this country.”

Star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is currently out of the England team with a side injury and Smith believes opposing Test captain Michael Vaughan would love to get “Freddie” back in the team so he can play five bowlers.

“I think Michael Vaughan would like five bowlers, so for us it is going to be interesting to see what side they select in terms of planning and how we go into this Test series, how Freddie [Flintoff] is coming through,” Smith said. “Obviously, he is going to be a big cog for England and, having played against him, we know how important he is to their line-up.”

The first of four Tests between England and South Africa is scheduled to start at Lord’s on July 10.
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