Cricket round-up: Kevin Pietersen still dreams of playing for England

Former England batsman says he still wants to play for his country despite being controversially axed from the national team while New Zealand's mystery spinner Sunil Narine is back against New Zealand in the T20 Internationals.

Kevin Pietersen of Surrey hits out during the Natwest T20 Blast match between Surrey and Kent Spitfires at The Kia Oval on July 2, 2014 in London, England. Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has revealed that he still harbours dreams of turning out for his country despite being controversially axed from the national team.

Pietersen, 34, had his central contract terminated by the England and Wales Cricket Board after the 5-0 Ashes defeat by Australia, with the governing body saying captain Alastair Cook needed to be able to trust and rely on the backing of all his players.

South Africa-born Pietersen, who played 104 tests for England, was at Lord’s on Friday to prepare for a match between a Rest of the World side and the MCC as part of the latter’s bicentenary celebrations.

“My space reserved in the Lord’s dressing room. Clothes ready! So excited about tomorrow,” he said on his official Twitter feed.

“I didn’t think I’d have this opportunity to play in front of a full house at Lord’s again. I still do hope that things change and I play for England here again. Time will tell ...”

A colourful character with undoubted talent at the crease, Pietersen has been often at odds with teammates and management. He said last month that he had come to terms with the fact his international career was over, having scored 8,181 Test runs.

He is still playing Twenty20 cricket for English county Surrey and in the Indian Premier League.

West Indies captain Sunil Narine back in the fold

Sunil Narine returns to the West Indies fold with the mystery spinner seeking to maintain his stranglehold over New Zealand in the T20 internationals on Saturday and Sunday at Windsor Park in Dominica.

Narine was declared ineligible by the West Indies Cricket Board for the three Test series, which the tourists won 2-1, because of his inability to join the mandatory training camp ahead of the series.

His decision to stay with the Kolkata Knight Riders reaped dividends with the franchise lifting the Indian Premier League title for the second time in three seasons.

Now though, he has the chance to extend an impressive record of 12 wickets for 120 runs in five T20 internationals against the Black Caps and also fuel speculation that his presence in the West Indies Test side could have made a critical difference in the series won 2-1 by Brendon McCullum’s men.

New Zealand’s captain may be tempted to put himself at the top of the order alongside all-rounder Jimmy Neesham given that the trio who shared opening duties in the Tests – Tom Latham, Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford – may not be considered ideal for the frenetic pace of the shortest form of the game.

Another hard-hitting all-rounder, Corey Anderson, will finally get his chance to feature in international matches on the tour after being sidelined by a neck injury ahead of the Tests.

It was against the West Indies six months ago in Queenstown that Anderson smashed a record fastest one-day international hundred off 36 balls. His availability has raised expectations for the possible duel between him, Narine and the rest of the home bowling attack, which includes the top-rated T20 international bowler, Samuel Badree.

West Indies will be without their most celebrated power-hitter, Chris Gayle, who is being rested as he continues to struggle with a back injury.

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