Pietersen left in cold by Hampshire

ENGLAND batsman Kevin Pietersen will head into next week's first Test against Pakistan having had no match practice for a month after Hampshire refused a request from national selectors to play him this weekend.

England team director Andy Flower had hoped the 30-year-old could make his comeback from a thigh strain in Sunday's match against Kent at Canterbury. But Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove feels it would be unfair to field Pietersen, who has already announced he will leave the county at the end of the summer.

He said: "The simple issue is that Kevin has already said he doesn't want to play for us any more and it is not really fair on the other guys. It was relatively straightforward. We discussed it with Andy Flower and he was good about it. What is important is to create a team ethic."