Kevin Pietersen passed fit

Kevin Pietersen was passed fit to play in England's final warm-up match before the first Ashes Test with Australia.

 

Pietersen was given a cortisone injection in his problematic right knee on Sunday and he was given the all clear to take on the Invitational XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground in a match which began at 11.30pm on Tuesday night, UK time.

 

Steve Finn and Boyd Rankin were given one last chance to stake a claim for a Test place, and they formed the bowling attack along with Test certainties Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann.

 

James Anderson - another certainty for Brisbane - was rested but Chris Tremlett was left out. Whether that means England are resting him for the Test, or that Finn and Rankin are battling for the third fast bowling slot remains to be seen.

 

The top six selected for the four-day match in Sydney are all expected to play in the first Test in Brisbane, and keeper Jonny Bairstow may do so as well if Matt Prior fails to recover from a calf injury.

 

England: Carberry, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Root, Bairstow, Broad, Swann, Finn, Rankin

 

SkySports