England take the safety-first aprroach with Pietersen

ENGLAND decided to rest Kevin Pietersen for the NatWest Series squad against Bangladesh, even before he injured his thigh against Australia.

After his duck in the final NatWest Series match at Lord's on Saturday, Pietersen has gone 16 one-day internationals without scoring a 50 he and averages barely 18 in 11 innings since his comeback from Achilles surgery last autumn.

Yet England's selectors judged a break from the firing line, rather than taking up an opportunity to score overdue runs against one of world cricket's developing nations in three matches this week and next, would be best for the No 3 batsman and new father.

"We would have rested him (anyway)," said national selector Geoff Miller. Despite Pietersen's spell without a significant score - remarkably, for a batsman of his stature, stretching back to late 2008 - Miller has little doubt the man named man of the tournament in England's successful ICC World Twenty20 campaign simply must end his drought soon.

"We know what his qualities are," he said.

"Everybody is concerned when a batter is not getting runs, similarly when a bowler is not getting wickets or not bowling well.

"But we know very well he is very capable of getting big runs, and they will be just round the corner."

England have also chosen to rest Graeme Swann, selecting his fellow off-spinner James Tredwell instead among a 13-man squad in which Jonathan Trott is Pietersen's replacement.

There is no place for pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who could not break into a team unchanged throughout the 3-2 victory over Australia - despite defeats in the final two matches. Miller reports Pietersen's injury is not thought to be a serious one, explaining England are not willing to take undue risks on a player still averaging more than 40 in ODIs and almost 50 in Tests - with a hectic schedule about to start, leading up to this winter's Ashes and then the World Cup.

"The situation is he has a niggle, which we are very wary about," he said.

"I think it is a minor injury. But we are obviously wary, because there is a lot of cricket coming up over the rest of the summer and the winter as well.

"I am sure he will be all right (for the forthcoming npower Test series against Pakistan] but can't say that categorically at this stage. I think it is a slight one as opposed to a major one.

"We are just being cautious.I think he will be all right in the very near future."

Pietersen's absence means Ian Bell, back in the ODI fold after also being chosen in the squad against Australia, and Trott may have a golden opportunity to restate their 50-over claims.

Warwickshire batsmen Trott and Bell are selected ahead of Ravi Bopara, the former having doubtless helped his case with a double-hundred from No 3 in the Lord's Test against Bangladesh.

"That was in the Test series, very different from one-day cricket," said Miller.

"But he scored a hundred the other day for the Lions, and we continue with our policy of trying to find out about strength in depth.

"He is fine and understands the policy," said Miller.

"We have told all the players we do not want fatigue at the end of the year.

"They accept the decision, and we move on."

While Ajmal Shahzad is the extra seamer to benefit from Sidebottom's omission, England have, not surprisingly stuck with Craig Kieswetter as wicketkeeper-batsman - in preference to the in-form Matt Prior - despite the former scoring just 69 runs in five innings at the top of the order against Australia. The decision, explained Miller, is not only about continuity.

"We gave Craig the opportunity to develop his one-day international career," Miller explained. He now realises what 50 overs is all about. It is always a difficult situation with a wicketkeeper, because it is a one-place position. We are giving him the chance to do what we selected him to do."

England's NatWest Series squad to face Bangladesh: AJ Strauss (captain, Middlesex), JM Anderson (Lancashire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), TT Bresnan (Yorkshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), C Kieswetter (wkt, Somerset), EJG Morgan (Middlesex), A Shahzad (Yorkshire), JC Tredwell (Kent), IJL Trott (Warwickshire), LJ Wright (Sussex), MH Yardy (Sussex).