Opening gambit excites Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen is confident his surprise move up to open the batting will prove a success for England in the World Cup.

Pietersen, previously a fixture at No 4, instead took on the new ball in yesterday's narrow warm-up victory over Canada.

After making 24 on a painfully slow wicket, he could claim only an acceptable initial experience - as could England, bailed out by the batting of Matt Prior (78) and the bowling of a fit-again Stuart Broad (five for 37) in the first fixture of their sub-continental campaign.

Prior, a previous incumbent at the top of the order but shunted down to No 6, and Jonathan Trott (57) helped salvage a competitive 243 all out.

When Broad and Ajmal Shahzad - also returning from injury - reduced Canada to 28 for five, it seemed the contest was going rapidly with the script of a wide-margin England victory.

But that was reckoning without the big hitting of Rizwan Cheema (93), who put Canada in position to pull off an unlikely win until Broad returned to see off him and finally Khurram Chohan. Pietersen could therefore reflect on a hard-earned victory, and his own novel experience. "It's really exciting - a nice positive move going into the World Cup," he said of his chance at the top of the order.

Pietersen has had only fitful opportunities as an opener at any level, but England have confirmed he will stay there in this tournament.

"We spoke about it going into the end of the Australia tour," he added. "We feel at the top of the innings is a really nice time to bat. I'm excited by it and the team are excited by it.

"I'll look to play my normal game. It's not a pinch-hitting role.

"It was put to me and the team are right behind the decision. I'm fine."

lGraeme Swann was yesterday found not guilty of drink-driving. Swann, who is in England's Cricket World Cup squad but has not travelled to Bangladesh as his wife is due to give birth, was at Nottingham Magistrates' Court as District Judge Julia Newton said it had not been proved that a blood sample taken from him on the night he was pulled over could be used as evidence.