Twenty20 / Editor / 23 June 2007 /

Star batsman Kevin Pietersen will play a direct role in tactics in the new-look limited-overs England side.
The news comes after Paul Collingwood was unveiled as captain for the two Twenty20 Internationals and three 50-over-a-side matches against West Indies.

"It's a bit more responsibility and something I'd like to be involved in. It's fantastic," said the 26-year-old, who was in London to promote Kevin Pietersen Pro Cricket 2007.

The Hampshire ace also gave his backing to the two Twenty20 Internationals against the West Indies at the Brit Oval next Thursday and Friday, adding they would serve as ideal preparation for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup to be played in South Africa in September.

"We want to do very well in these two matches," said Pietersen, with England available to back at 2 on Betfair's emerging "T20 Series - Series Winner" market.

"We are targeting these two games to be successful in and build momentum.
"We know we need to build on our win percentages in most of our one-day cricket and we need to get ourselves going in different competitions.

"We've already done well in the Test arena, it's just about targeting different competitions like Twenty20 and one-day internationals. We need to start doing well in those."

West Indies can be backed at 5.9 to banish their 3-0 series defeat to England with victory in next week's clashes, with the drawn series on offer at 2.2.

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