James Anderson injury will have Australia 'licking lips', Kevin Pietersen says
Wednesday 24 May 2017 13:35, UK
Kevin Pietersen says Australia will be "licking their lips" at the prospect of avoiding a full Ashes series against James Anderson and Stuart Broad this winter.
Anderson will be assessed by England's medical staff this week after tearing a groin muscle bowling for Lancashire, and some reports suggest he is already a doubt for the summer's opening Test against South Africa in July.
Neither England's leading Test wicket-taker nor long-time partner Broad, who have 835 Test scalps between them, was able to play the full five matches against India in the winter.
Pietersen told Sky Sports News HQ a similar situation in the Ashes would play right into the hands of the Aussies and their destructive opener David Warner.
He said: "Speaking to some of the Aussie players I said 'you might lick your lips at some of the bowling because Anderson and Broad can't play five Test matches'. We saw that in India.
"Broad and Anderson are fantastic bowlers, and if you can't get them performing for five Test matches then [as the opposition] you want to lick your lips, because England don't have a spinner either. It's a big, big blow if Jimmy's injured himself."
Warner was kept under control as South Africa won in Australia in the winter, but the left-hander's two centuries - at quicker than a run-a-ball - helped secure a 3-0 win over Pakistan in the follow-up series.
Pietersen said: "If you don't bowl well to Warner he kills you on the first morning of a Test match. The most important thing for the next six months is finding someone to bowl well to Warner because if you can tie him down you can really do well in that series."
England's immediate priority is a one-day series against South Africa and the subsequent Champions Trophy, and Eoin Morgan's side are currently joint-favourites to win their first international tournament since the 2010 World T20.
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Pietersen played in that and has high hopes for the current crop, particularly in the wake of successful Indian Premier League spells for Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler.
He said: "I saw Stokes say how much the IPL has helped him, and how a coach like Eric Simons has made him become a lot more consistently.
"It's a drum that I've been banging for a very long time. It's so good to see progress has been made.
"Guys can go and enjoy themselves in the IPL and become better cricketers - that's the most important part of this."
