Kevin Pietersen, the England batsman, will go back to his roots next month after agreeing to a short-term stint with the Durban-based Dolphins in South Africa as he continues his battle to regain form ahead of the Ashes.
Pietersen will play for the side between October 7 and 17 which means he'll be able to play two four-day matches in that time. The deal has been approved by Cricket South Africa, with the chief executive Gerald Majola given his permission.
"I'm extremely keen to get as much cricket as possible under my belt before a challenging and exciting winter," Pietersen said. "My sole focus is to continue playing a leading role for England and joining Natal is the perfect opportunity to prepare in excellent conditions immediately before the Ashes. These two matches would enable me to work on my game against the Kookaburra ball in southern-hemisphere conditions, which is the ideal preparation for Australia."
Pietersen was dropped from England's Twenty20 and one-day squads ahead of the series against Pakistan after a lean summer in which he only passed fifty once and joined Surrey on a short-term loan. His axing led to him accidentally posting an angry comment on Twitter and, though Pietersen quickly apologised, he was fined by the ECB for his outburst.
The move to the Dolphins suggests that Pietersen feels his deal with Surrey may not be enough for him to recapture his best form before England fly to Australia. His Surrey spell has brought mixed results so far, with an 116 in the CB40 against Sussex - his first hundred in any cricket since March 2009 - followed by a second-ball duck against Glamorgan in the Championship.
"We're very pleased Kevin is seeking to get some more high quality cricket at a crucial period before the Ashes," Andy Flower, the England coach, said. "We are well aware of Kevin's attention to detail and thoroughness when it comes to preparation, and he would gain a great deal from working on his batting against tough opposition in South Africa.
"Kevin's commitment, his desire to work on his batting and to play a significant part in a successful England team is unquestioned and this proposed arrangement with Natal, initiated by Kevin himself, further underlines that."
Pietersen won't be paid for the stint, which takes him back to where his cricket career began before he opted for a future in England. During England's tour of South Africa in 1999-00, Pietersen was in the KwaZulu-Natal side which took on Nasser Hussain's team. He scored 61 batting at No. 9 and took 4 for 141 in 55 overs with his offspin. During that game, Pietersen made his first serious push for a county contract that eventually brought him to Nottinghamshire.
Meanwhile, ESPNcricinfo understands that Owais Shah, the Middlesex batsman, has agreed to an overseas spell with the Cape Cobras. Shah, who last played for England during the 2009 Champions Trophy in South Africa, was recently released by Middlesex and is looking for a new county ahead of the 2011 season.