PIETERSON TO REMAIN AT HAMPSHIRE

A huge boost to the Hampshire county as star batsman kevin pieterson has agreed to remain at the hampshire.England’s leading batsman Kevin Pietersen has signed a new three-year contract with county team Hampshire that will keep him at the Rose Bowl until the end of the 2010 season.

Pietersen, who arrived from Nottinghamshire in 2005 under a cloud after Notts refused to release him initially, played in Hampshire’s Friends Provident Trophy against Durham in August but has not figured all that much because of his heavy workload with England.

“I get a really warm welcome from the Hampshire fans whenever I am down at the Rose Bowl and I look forward to that continuing in the coming seasons,” Pietersen said. “Hampshire is a great club with big ambitions, and I want to be part of this.”

Pietersen is clearly a marketing tool for the south coast club given that his image will be used to sell Hampshire cricket products and the club generally.

“KP is a true world-class talent and this is great news for all Hampshire fans,” said Rod Bransgrove, the Hampshire chairman. “We don’t see him quite as often as we’d like, but that’s only because he continues to perform so brilliantly in the international arena.

“We savour the times we have with him at Hampshire and I look forward to seeing him at the Rose Bowl on more than a few occasions next season.”All the Hampshire fans will be looking to some more innings of sheer magic from the man.