England coach Andy Flower is “very excited” by what he is seeing from Kevin Pietersen despite the gifted batsman’s latest failure against left-arm spin. Flower’s men wrapped up an extraordinary innings and 14-run in the first Test in Cardiff after skittling out Sri Lanka for just 82 in the tourists’ second innings in under two extraordinary hours at Sophia Gardens on Monday. Almost as notable was that an England total of 496 for five declared should feature a mere three runs from Pietersen, the only one of the hosts’ frontline batsmen to be out in single figures. Pietersen’s exit, lbw to Rangana Herath, was the 19th time in Tests the South Africa-born batsman had fallen to a left-arm spinner “It is obvious he has had his issues,” said Flower of Pietersen, whose stellar start to his Test career means that, even though he scored an Ashes double hundred in Adelaide six innings ago, he has found himself being judged by the very highest standards.
