Bopara to replace injured Pietersen

Ravinder Bopara, the Essex batsman, has been called up to the England squad for the Commonwealth Bank Series as a replacement for the injured Kevin Pietersen.

Pietersen broke a rib while batting during England's eight-wicket defeat in the first ODI of the CB series against Australia at the MCG. He was on 73 when he advanced down the wicket to a short ball from Glenn McGrath and missed his attempted pull. The ball cannoned into his ribs and after a couple of minutes of regaining his breath and attention from the physiotherapist, he batted on to reach 82. The injury was expected to sideline him for five to six weeks. Ed Joyce was tipped to take Pietersen's spot in the XI.

Bopara, who averaged 38 in first-class cricket and 42 in the 50-over C&G Trophy during 2006, was preferred ahead of Alastair Cook, Owais Shah, Vikram Solanki and Michael Yardy who have all played ODIs over the past 12 months.

"Ravi has been brought in because he is a middle-order batsman who impressed in his time with the Academy in Perth earlier in the winter," David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors, told Reuters. "He has also been a regular with Essex during their one-day successes in recent years and we decided that he was the best option available.

"We are happy with the top order of Strauss, Vaughan and Bell and we also see the injury to Kevin Pietersen, while unfortunate, as offering a great chance for Ed Joyce to stake his claim for a place in the ICC World Cup."

Joyce, meanwhile, said that he would play with his own style. "I'm not going to try to be KP," he told the BBC. "I can't do that - very few people can. I'm not as experienced as he is either so I've got to try and grow up pretty quickly and get runs for the team."

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