KP must rise to the challenge

SPORTS BETTING: KEVIN Pietersen is hardly a man to shirk a challenge and, not for the first time in his colourful career, he faces a huge test of his ability and character.

Forced out of the Ashes series last summer with an ankle injury which required surgery, KP found himself in the firing line a little sooner than he might have wanted in the recent Test series against South Africa.

A target for the bowlers with whom he used to share nationality, Pietersen failed to deliver and he now finds himself in the unusual position of having to persuade the English public that he can still cut it at the highest level of cricket.

So this weekend’s two Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan in Dubai and the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh are vital to Pietersen’s rehabilitation.

There is a saying that form is temporary and class is permanent and Pietersen will need to prove that, starting on Friday in the first Twenty20 game against the world champions.

KP is 4-1 to be top England batsman, which is fair enough, but the inventive Eoin Morgan represents better value as I am pretty sure the Pakistan bowlers won’t have seen much of him.

As for the game itself, Pakistan are 8-11 with England on 6-5.

And in the two-game series, it’s 11-10 a share of the spoils, 2-1 Pakistan and 7-2 England.


CHAMPIONS League action continues tonight when Arsenal face a tricky test at Porto.
The Portuguese side are nowhere near the force they were under Jose Mourinho, so an Arsenal victory at 21-20 is certainly on the cards.


GOLF’S Accenture World Matchplay gets under way in Tucson, Arizona, tonight, but there will be no Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson in the line-up.

Bookies are going 16-1 the field for this sprint format of golf, and it is no surprise to see dual champion Geoff Ogilvy joint favourite alongside new world number two Steve Stricker and rising star Rory McIlroy.

Henrik Stenson, the winner three years ago and ice-cool under pressure, opens against Ben Crane and, at 33-1, is a sporting selection.


RECOMMENDATIONS: Eoin Morgan to make top score for England against Pakistan in first Twenty20 international, 13-2 (Blue Square); Henrik Stenson to win Accenture World Matchplay, 33-1 (general).