Flower confident of Pietersen recovering before South African tour

London, Sep 3 (ANI): England cricket team director Andy Flower has expressed confidence that injured batsman Kevin Pietersen will make a full recovery and would return for the tour of South Africa.

Pietersen was forced out of the Ashes series following an Achilles injury, and has suffered a further setback after developing an infection in the scar tissue making him unavailable for the ODI series against Australia.

"He is still struggling a little with that wound in his Achilles. I spoke to him yesterday but I think we are confident in saying he will be back for South Africa," The Independent quoted Flower, as saying.

Flower further said that he has advised Peitersen to use the time as a break from the busy schedule of an international cricket player.

"Sometimes you never know what is good or bad luck. It is enforced time away and he didn't want it and we didn't want it, but since it's there and there is nothing anyone can do about it, I think he has got to make the most of it," Flower said.

"I think that is what he is doing. He is spending time with his family and his wife and getting a break from the international game," he added.

Flower also said that he was unsure about all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's career, who had underwent a knee surgery after the Ashes series.

"If he can come back and play one-day international and Twenty20 cricket for us and bat at six or seven and bowl like he can bowl, that will make us a force to be reckoned with in one-day cricket," Flower said.

"Whether he will or not I don't know, I just hope he does," he added. (ANI)