Beware of Pietersen - Katich

Simon Katich has warned his team-mates to prepare for some Adam Gilchrist-style treatment if Kevin Pietersen fulfils his potential during Australia's tour of England. Pietersen is still waiting for his Test debut, but Katich said he was capable of turning a game in a couple of hours.

Australia will get their first look at Pietersen in the Twenty20 international at Southampton on June 13, but Katich has spent time with him as a batting partner at Hampshire. Katich, who is involved in a pre-Ashes training camp in Brisbane, said Pietersen was a formidable stroke-maker whose shots when firing were too big for any ground.

"It's hard to put someone in Gilly's category because he's got the record that speaks for itself," Katich told AAP. "KP's only 24 and he's a lot younger and more inexperienced. But he's got something about him that says this guy's going to be a dangerous cricketer."

Ian Bell was preferred to Pietersen in the Tests against Bangladesh, but after averaging 139.5 in 11 ODIs Pietersen is a certainty to play in the two one-day tournaments before the Ashes series. Katich said if Pietersen performed well he would expect him to be involved in the five Tests.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he plays, just knowing the type of character he is and how crucial he could be in that he can turn a game in the space of a couple of hours," Katich said. "He's done that in the one-day game, and someone who plays like that in Test cricket can try and dominate our bowling."

Katich said England were a more balanced outfit than when he played one Test on the 2001 tour, but he predicted Shane Warne, the Hampshire captain, would again cause a lot of problems. "Shane's been bowling very well and as the game wears on in England - on day three, day four, day five - the wicket will certainly turn," he said. "The fact we're playing later in the summer is an advantage to him because generally the weather improves."