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ADELAIDE - Stopping star England batsman Kevin Pietersen in the Ashes series could be achieved by bowling to one of his strengths and dismissing him early, according to his Australian friend and rival Shane Warne.
Pietersen enters the first test starting in Brisbane on Thursday as one of the players to watch after bursting on to the world stage during the 2005 series, where he made 473 runs, including an Ashes-winning 158 in the deciding test at The Oval.
Having only enhanced his reputation since last year, Pietersen has spent a lot of time practising whipping balls off his hip in anticipation of the short deliveries he will get from Australia's bowlers.
But champion leg-spinner Warne believes Australia may be able to prevent repeats of Pietersen's match-winning century by turning to the bowlers who trouble him and then giving him shortish deliveries which he might miscue.
"We will decide on the two bowlers he would least like to face and make sure that they are on as soon as he comes out," Warne wrote in England's the Times newspaper.
"If that means a double change straight away, then fine. He is one of those guys you cannot allow to settle because he can change a game in a session.
"The downside of being such a talented player with so many shots who is not intimidated by any bowler in any conditions is that he can become too funky.
"He scores a lot of runs with that whip into the leg side - but there are occasions when the execution is not quite right.
"When he is slightly out of form and his timing is a little bit off, then what is usually a strength becomes a weakness.
"It can be very risky hitting against the ball either spinning or swinging away. In those circumstances, he gets some pretty ugly dismissals."
Warne said he was impressed by Pietersen on his first look at the batsman in 2004, and the pair became close friends during their time as teammates playing for Hampshire.
Their battles were among the highlights of the 2005 series.
Test cricket's leading wicket-taker said it was vital Australia seized any early chances Pietersen offered.
"What surprises me is the number of times he gets out for less than five," Warne said.
"For a decent player he bags a lot of first-ballers. I don't know if he is nervous or a bit too wound-up but he does give you an early chance.
"And if you don't take it ... well, we all remember what happened at The Oval last year."
Pietersen was dropped three times before he had settled on the final day of the 2005 series - including a sitter spilled by Warne at slip.
- AAP
