Flower backs Pietersen against South Africa

CRICKET: LONDON, Oct 31, 2009 - England team director Andy Flower believes Kevin Pietersen is in the right frame of mind to overpower South Africa in the forthcoming Test series.

Pietersen will stay in England to complete his recovery from an Achilles injury as England flew to Bloemfontein on Saturday for the start of the tour.

But the Hampshire batsman will join his England team-mates on November 9 - in time for the first one-day international.After admitting he had fallen out of love with cricket prior to England's Ashes victory over Australia this year, Pietersen is rediscovering his passion for the sport.

He batted for the first time in three months on Friday in a training session at Lord's and Flower said: "He's still got a bit of rehab work to do to get up to speed.

"Hopefully he'll be ok to play in the warm-up game against South Africa A and then ready to go at the start of the one-day series.

"That is what we are targeting. The infection has slowed everything up otherwise he would have been back during the English summer.

"But he brings a superb record, flair, confidence and the ability to counter attack.

"The fact that we won the Ashes with limited contributions from the two big stars (Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff) is a good thing for the unit and the country's cricket and when they come back that adds strength and power.

That's a good thing.

"Pietersen's been pushing himself running.

He'll just love getting a bat in his hands again and hitting the ball. That's what he loves doing. He's chomping at the bit to get going.

"He is important to us. He's a world-class player who has a special talent and a special confidence. He is a huge boon for us."