BARBADOS: CRICKET - England batsman Kevin Pietersen will be trying extra hard when he faces his former homeland of South Africa in a virtual World Cup quarter-final

England batsman Kevin Pietersen will be trying extra hard on Tuesday (April 17) when he faces his former homeland of South Africa in a virtual World Cup quarter-final. With Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka already through to the final four, Tuesday's Super Eights clash in Barbados is almost a knockout game. Pietersen grew up in South Africa but moved to England in search of international cricket after becoming frustrated with his lack of opportunities because of a quota system designed to boost the number of players of colour. The 26-year-old, who received constant crowd abuse when he hit three centuries on his first tour of South Africa in 2005, is keen to remind his former countrymen what they are missing. "It's probably just a switch inside me that gets me going. It is something that triggers inside me that makes me want to give it an extra special go," he told reporters on Sunday. Pietersen and Proteas skipper Graeme Smith have both made derogatory comments about each other in the past but the England batsman wants to avoid a new feud. "The game on Tuesday is not about me and it is not about Graeme Smith. It's about England against South Africa in Barbados," Pietersen said. "What's been said has been said. I'm not going to open up a new chapter. It's done and dusted. We're grown adults now." South Africa will secure a semi-final spot with a victory while an England win would mean they could afford to lose to West Indies in their final match as long as their net run rate remains superior. England have lost to New Zealand, Sri Lanka and defending champions Australia so far and a nervy win over Bangladesh has been their only victory over a test nation.

ITN Source | April 17, 2007

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