Australia Cricket / Editor / 15 May 2007 /

Kevin Pietersen wishes English players had the same mental approach to the game as Australians, who always strive to better themselves.

The South African-born batsman was one of very few Englishmen to emerge with any credit from the disastrous Ashes tour last winter and he was also England's best batsman at the recent World Cup in the Caribbean.

Australia whitewashed the tourists 5-0 Down Under and Pietersen feels that England should follow their rivals' blueprint for success if they are ever to challenge the world's number one side on a consistent basis.

"Australia have a team made of greats, but they want to be greater," he told the BBC. "That's the mentality I wish a lot of our players had, a want to be greater every single day."

And the 26-year-old admitted it was no fun being on the end of a thrashing from Ricky Ponting's men, adding: "The Australians are definitely winners. We copped it this winter. I had a horrible time."

Pietersen is still in a race to be fit for the first Test against the West Indies, which begins on Thursday at Lord's, so Betfair customers looking towards KP in the top England batsman market might want to keep an eye on his fitness reports as the match draws nearer.

England are strong favourites to beat the tourists at headquarters and trade at 1.65 to claim the summer's opening five-day match, with Ramnaresh Sarwan's men on offer at 11 and the draw available at 3.2.

Sarwan and Pietersen oppose each other in one of Betfair's head-to-head markets for the first Test and punters will have to note that the clash in north London will be the Guyana star's first Test as skipper, with the added pressure that will inevitably bring to his performance.

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