Having seen Pietersen play at a school cricket festival, Clive Rice invited him to sign for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. Pietersen accepted without hesitation, keen to make the most of top-class cricket under a coach for whom he had the utmost admiration. He did not at this stage contemplate forsaking his nation; nor had it yet occurred to him that the decision would eventually have to be taken.
He made his first-class debut for Natal in 1997 before moving to England after voicing his displeasure at the racial quota system in place in South Africa.
The England team's subsequent reliance on Pietersen since his debut has resulted in only one first-class appearance for Hampshire since 2005, which resulted in Pietersen looking to leave the club in 2010. He subsequently joined Surrey on loan for the remainder on the 2010 English county cricket season after being dropped by England due to a poor run of form, soon before joining the club permanently from the 2011 season onwards.
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