BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA: England captian Andrew Strauss talks to the press during the England press coneference at the Southern Sun Hotel in Bloemfontein.
Photograph by: Tom Shaw
Credit: Getty Images

'We've missed Kevin Pietersen's quality and influence'

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The Proteas start their preparation with a game against Zimbabwe at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Sunday.

The tourists have two more games before the first T20 international against the Proteas next Friday at the Wanderers - a one-dayer against the Warriors in Kimberley on Sunday, and a T20 against South Africa A in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

South Africa play Zimbabwe again on Tuesday at Centurion.

The Proteas and England last met during the Champions Trophy in South Africa, where the hosts were knocked out of the competition, losing by 22 runs.

However, England captain Andrew Strauss admitted earlier this week that his team would have to up their game to win in South Africa's back yard.

"Winning the series [in South Africa] would be an incredible achievement," Strauss said.

"In some ways we are going to have to play better than we have ever played in my time as an England player to manage that. It is a bit of a step up for us and comes at a good time."

The Proteas will be looking for a strong showing against the Poms after their disappointing performance during the Champions Trophy at home.

England will welcome back South Africa-born Kevin Pietersen after his recovery from an Achilles injury, which kept him out for over three months.

Strauss is very pleased to have his star batsman back for the two-and-a-half month tour, which includes four Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s.

"I'm genuinely excited about having him back," Strauss said in Bloemfontein after the team's first training session.

"We've missed his quality, we've missed his influence and I also think he's going to come back very refreshed, hungry and motivated.

"When you have a player of that quality, with that frame of mind, you can expect him to go out and play really well. We don't want him to come back before he's ready, so he's got to make sure he's completely over his injury before we bring him back. But it's going to be a great boost for us to have him back in the environment."

Pietersen was subjected to abuse from the South African crowd on his first tour with England here in 2004. He will now be joined by another young South African born batsmen, Jonathan Trott - who may experience the same torment from the local faithful.

Trott, like Pietersen, played his junior cricket in South Africa before moving to England.

He had a sensational debut this year, scoring a series-clinching century in the deciding Ashes Test at The Oval, and Strauss said he was an "exciting prospect".

England's 15-man squad includes four players with ties to South Africa. Wicketkeeper Matt Prior and Strauss were born in South Africa, and Trott and Pietersen grew up here.

• Bangladesh won the final ODI against Zimbabwe yesterday by one wicket after chasing down 221, and took the series 4-1. Brendan Taylor scored 118 to help Zimbabwe to the defendable total. The wickets were shared between Shakib Al Hasan (3/29), Mahmudullah Riyad (3/52) and Abdur Razzak (3-56). Bangladesh's Naeem Islam led the run chase with 73. Justice Chibhabha and Stuart Matsikenyeri each picked up two wickets. - Additional reporting by cricinfo.com