Shane Warne compares England’s challenge in South Africa to the predicament faced by tennis players when they play Roger Federer. Writing in the Times, Warne backs the Kevin Pietersen brand of inventiveness to provide England with a surprise element against the hosts – much like an aggressive serve and volley game that could upset Federer’s gameplan.

I’m no tennis expert. But there is a great comparison here to playing cricket against South Africa. Hang back and play an orthodox game against Federer, and he’ll eat you alive. Try something adventurous, back yourself, and you never know. It’s the same with the South Africans.

I know he’s [Pietersen’s] not the captain anymore, but he has so much to offer Andrew Strauss with his left-field ideas to drag South Africa out of their comfort zones. It will not be enough for England to win the Test series simply by doing the basics well.

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