Pietersen to resume his Ashes quest at Headingley

Pietersen, who has not played any cricket since March because of a knee injury, is on a tight schedule to prove his match fitness in time for the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge on July 10.

Surrey’s LV= County Championship fixture against Yorkshire on Friday has long been identified as the mercurial batsman’s likely return.

It will give him two matches to demonstrate his form and fitness, and Pietersen made it clear yesterday that is currently still the plan.

In a Twitter interaction, he was asked by a follower if he will be playing at Headingley, and replied: “YES I AM!”

Surrey will not officially announce their team until Thursday. But as long as Pietersen does take part, he will then have a second opportunity – for England against Essex at Chelmsford – for match action before the five-Test series against Australia.

Their former coach, Tim Nielsen, claims the current touring side is hampered by a lack of natural leaders.

Australia have made more headlines off the pitch than on it so far during the Champions Trophy in England, with David Warner having to issue a grovelling public apology for the bar-room attack on Yorkshire’s Joe Root.

His punch on the England batsman landed him a £7,000 fine and a suspension until the start of the Ashes.

Nielsen coached the side from 2007 to 2011 and had senior figures like Ricky Ponting, who is also due to be in action against Yorkshire, at his disposal.

Nielsen said: “Probably the biggest difference between a lot of great sides is that strength of leadership of your players.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean they have to have captain next to their name. They (experienced, senior players) expect behaviour and they understand what is expected of them, just through experience.

“If they see young players jumping out of line, they quietly and quickly jump in to ensure they straighten them up.

“That’s maybe one of the tough things for this side at the moment. They don’t have a lot of natural leadership around the group, apart from the actual nominated blokes who have got captain and vice captain written next to their names.”

Ponting is currently excelling for Surrey in the Championship, having retired from international cricket last year.

Nielson reckons he would be able to restore authority to the Test team, but admits he is unlikely to go back on his decision.

“There is no doubt he would help in that regard, having those sort of players around certainly helps,” he said.

“It’s easy to say from the outside he would be a good leader of the group and I’m sure he would be, but if his heart’s not 100 per cent in it it’s probably too much to ask of him as well.”

Meanwhile, Australia head coach Mickey Arthur has admitted that it would be a risk to select Warner for the first Ashes Test beginning on July 10.

The 26-year-old’s suspension means he can play no competitive cricket before the series begins and the South African admits that makes him an unlikely choice at Trent Bridge.

He said: “He wouldn’t have had a lot of cricket, he will have had a lot training, mind you, but no cricket.

“We’ve got plans to give him some centre-wicket practice etcetera, but it would be (a risk to play him in the first Test) and I guess it’s a chance for the other batsmen in the squad to step up in the first two practice games.

“Because if they do that, they’re likely start in the first Ashes Test.”

He added: “We’ve got to give David (Warner) the best possible chance, the best possible preparation to be ready for the first Test match if we select him.

“He’s now gone from the white ball to the red ball, so he’s working daily on that.”

On Saturday, Chris Nash scored his first hundred of the season as Sussex comfortably negotiated 59 overs on the final day at Arundel to draw with Surrey and maintain the only unbeaten record in Division One.

Surrey earlier declared on 456-9 with a lead of 161, leaving Sussex having to bat through much of the final day for the third successive game to stave off defeat.

A first-wicket stand of 107 between Luke Wells and Nash calmed any nerves and Nash went to a chanceless century, the 14th of his first-class career, just before stumps.

Nash had only passed 50 once previously this season and had few alarms on a placid, slow surface, hitting 11 fours in his unbeaten 102 – which came off 177 balls.

Sussex declared their second innings on 201-2, a lead of 40, and the match was declared a draw.

Earlier, Chris Tremlett had scored his first half-century for three years as Surrey collected maximum bonus points for the first time this season.

Surrey needed 12 off the 110th over to secure a fifth batting point and Tremlett got the runs in two blows, lofting Steve Magoffin over deep mid-wicket for six before pulling his next ball over the rope at deep square leg.

Tremlett hit two more sixes and three boundaries as he reached a 29-ball 50 with Tim Linley, who hit Monty Panesar for six, giving him good support in a ninth wicket stand of 74 from just seven overs.

Tremlett eventually holed out for 54 while Panesar picked up the other two wickets to fall on his way to his first five-wicket haul of the season.