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Kevin Pietersen is expected to be fit for England's World Twenty20 showdown against South Africa after suffering no reaction to his ongoing Achilles tendon problem in practice.
Although Pietersen did not takepart in running drills at the team's Loughborough training base today, he was involved in a full net session with the rest of the side, giving skipper Paul Collingwood cause for optimism.
He said: “Kevin pulled up pretty well from the last game. We will keep monitoring him, but I am pretty certain he will be fine to play tomorrow.”
Pietersen admitted at the weekend that he is likely to be carrying the injury for the rest of the summer — leaving supporters anxious about his participation in all forms of cricket.
The Achilles kept him out of the humiliating defeat by the Netherlands last Friday, but, despite declaring himself only 70 per cent fit, KP returned with a match-winning 58 from 38 balls to see off Pakistan on Sunday.
That knock underlined Pietersen's importance to this team, and it is vital that the 28-year-old maintains this form in England's opening Super Eight game at Trent Bridge against the South
Africans — a team Collingwood has a healthy respect for.
The England skipper said: “They have a great batting line up, they are a strong fielding side, and the two spinners — Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe — are doing a good job.
“We'll have to be right on top of our game to beat them, but there are some areas we have had a look at, and hopefully we can target them.
“We can take heart from our win over Pakistan.
Their spinners are strong, but, hopefully, we can score against them, because other teams have struggled to do that.
“So far, South Africa have been the strongest team, but this is where the real test begins. Now we will be able to really judge who the best teams are.
“Twenty20 is such a strange game, and just because you are the best team, there is no guarantee that you will win the tournament.”
England's other injury concern, batsman Owais Shah, is also expected to shake off the minor ankle problem which prevented him from fielding against Pakistan.
Meanwhile, former Australia coach John Buchanan claims he has agreed a short-term coaching agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Buchanan, who helped Australia to three Ashes triumphs and was also the the coach when England won back the urn in 2005, said: “I will fly over on 28 June, have a good look at the elite programme, and sit down with them to see what potentially lies ahead.”
