ICC asks guardians of cricket rules to review Pietersen's switch hitting

Kevin Pietersen's innovative switch hitting has brought him under the scope of the guardians of cricket's rules and regulations.

The Marylebone Cricket Club will meet at Lord's on Tuesday to discuss the legality of the improvised shots at the request of the International Cricket Council, MCC media officer Abi Carter said.

Pietersen changed his grip and his stance _ from a right-hander to a left-hander _ while Scott Styris was in his delivery stride and hit two sixes over cover and long-off in England's 114-run win over New Zealand on Sunday at Durham.

The sixes were the highlight of Pietersen's unbeaten 110 in the series-opening limited-overs match, but drew criticism from analysts including West Indies fast bowling great Michael Holding.

Pietersen could not understand the fuss. But those opposed to his switch hitting argue that if a batsman can change his stance without notifying the umpire or fielding team, then a bowler should be allowed dispensations on run ups and for wides.

"The ICC has asked the MCC to look at it and make a recommendation," Carter told The Associated Press, adding that the club's heads of cricket and laws and other officials possibly could make a recommendation within hours of meeting.

Any law changes would require considerably more lengthy consultation between the ICC and the MCC, she said.

Players have been using reverse sweeps for decades, switching stance and rolling the wrists over deliveries to hit behind the wicket, but Pietersen's approach is pioneering. He can bludgeon balls over the boundaries in front of square.

"Reverse sweeps have been part of the game for however long, I am just fortunate that I can hit it a bit further," Pietersen said. "I don't understand (criticism) because everybody wants brand new ideas, new inventions and that's a new shot. Nobody has seen it before."

Pietersen said he played to win and was happy to hone any shot to help that.

"There's new things happening to cricket at the moment and people are criticizing all the time," he said. "There should just be positives about all the stuff that's happening."

The South Africa-born England batsman, one of the highest profile players in limited-overs cricket, said he spent time practicing and visualizing the switch hits and it was an attacking option for him to accelerate the run rate.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was amazed by Pietersen's improvisation, but also could see bowlers having a problem with it.

"It's amazing to see and I think it's really good for the game that batsmen have the skill to do that," Vettori said. "The only thing I would say about it is that if you're going to bat left-handed then I think to even it up for the bowlers you should have both sides of the wide line.

"That would bring your skill into play and the wicketkeeper's skill into play, if a batsman wants to change then it should be fair for both ball and batsmen."

England and New Zealand meet in game two of the five-match series at Birmingham on Wednesday.