‘There was a lot of method in my madness when I played’: Kevin Pietersen 2.0 on how he can help England

The appointment of England white-ball teams’ specialist mentor has divided opinion but the man himself says he is loving being back in the dressing room

Kevin Pietersen insisted he is a “completely different” person these days as he sat down at Headingley – the ground where he declared “it’s tough being me in this dressing room” 14 years earlier – and spoke at length about his role as the new “specialist mentor” to England’s white-ball teams.

In the aftermath of a 16-run loss to Sri Lanka that sends this late summer one-day series into an Oval decider on Sunday, Pietersen also revealed that while not full-time – “I’ll be in and out” – his input may not be restricted to the challenge of winning the 50-over World Cup in South Africa next year. A home Ashes comes before that, the series that launched his career back in 2005, and discussions with Stephen Fleming, the incoming Test coach, and Joe Root have already taken place.

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‘Outplayed’: Mitch Marsh rues Australia’s ODI capitulation to South Africa

  • South Africa 297-8; Australia 230 | South Africa win by 67 runs

  • Captain’s blistering 60 not enough to topple hosts in Durban

Mitch Marsh could not hide his dismay at how Australia capitulated tamely in their opening ODI in South Africa, succumbing to a 67-run defeat after a succession of cheap dismissals in a sorry run chase at Durban.

Stand-in skipper Marsh himself seemed to have laid the foundations for victory with his blistering opening knock of 60, but after he had perished needlessly to the spinning wiles of Kehav Maharaj, none of his team could cement the partnerships to get them anywhere near the hosts’ 298-run target.

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Warwickshire ‘in the groove’ as County Championship destiny calls

Going into the last round 11 points clear, the bowler Olly Hannon-Dalby is confident the favourites can clinch the title

Olly Hannon‑Dalby, 6ft 7in of medium‑fast heritage craft, has just come out of training at Edgbaston. The last round of County Championship cricket is about to start and slow‑burn Warwickshire are nailed-on favourites. Hannon‑Dalby tries to pinpoint what has made the team tick this summer.

“Our bowling has massive depth,” he says. “Ethan Bamber has had an outstanding year with 60 wickets, and then Chris Woakes has been around the majority of the season. To be able to throw an English legend the ball every now and then is unbelievable – and his demeanour when he plays, how he carries himself is amazing. In fact our depth in general is great, everyone has played and contributed.”

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Harry Brook says Brydon Carse ‘just needs time away from the international scene’

  • Captain says bowler ‘is working on a few things’

  • England v Sri Lanka ODIs come a year before World Cup

Harry Brook is hopeful that Brydon Carse will break back into his England white-ball teams once the fast bowler is clear of his ongoing disciplinary, describing him as a “very good mate” who is “working on a few things behind the scenes”.

Carse has recently discovered he will not face a criminal charge for the late-night incident in Derby last month that led to him being briefly handcuffed. But while technically available for selection, the 31-year-old has not featured in England’s squads since that night as he awaits the outcome of an investigation by the Cricket Regulator.

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