Kevin Pietersen will skip Melbourne Stars’ Boxing Day blockbuster against Perth

KEVIN Pietersen will skip Melbourne Stars’ Boxing Day blockbuster against fierce rival Perth Scorchers at the WACA Ground in what could be the megastar’s last ever Big Bash.

KEVIN Pietersen will skip Melbourne Stars’ Boxing Day blockbuster against fierce rival Perth Scorchers at the WACA Ground in what could be the megastar’s last ever Big Bash.

Pietersen, 37, will play in Wednesday night’s Round 1 clash against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba and then fly home to England to spend Christmas with his family, as he does every season.

The batsman is likely to be replaced by last summer’s surprise packet Rob Quiney against the Scorchers.

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Pietersen will be back in Melbourne for the Stars’ next game, the January 2 return clash against the Heat at the MCG.

Recruit and two-time Big Bash leading run-scorer Ben Dunk will open the batting with Englishman Luke Wright on Wednesday night.

Dunk will also wear the gloves ahead of young keepers Seb Gotch and Sam Harper with Pete Handscomb in the Test squad.

This may be Kevin Pietersen’s final season in the BBL. Picture: Getty Images

It emerged last night that Handscomb was likely to stay in the Australian camp for the entire Ashes series.

If Cricket Australia holds Handscomb the Stars could look to replace him on their roster for the first half of the season, perhaps with young spinner Liam Bowe.

Pietersen’s second BBL contract expires at the end of the summer and Stars coach Stephen Fleming said it was too early to consider his future.

“It’s understanding what he wants to do firstly,” Fleming said.

“If he has a strong Big Bash there might be a desire to continue. We are very much on hold as to what it could look like next year, but that’s not to detract KP or demotivate him.

“It’s quite simply that when you get a little bit older and you’re not playing as much cricket you’ve got to listen to the player as to what his motivations are.

“We’ll soon be having that chat with KP.”

Fleming said Pietersen was in “surprisingly good shape” when he struck 34 in Tuesday’s practice match win against Sydney Thunder in Albury.

This will be Pietersen’s fourth summer for the Stars. In 25 matches he has blasted 884 runs at a strike-rate of 136 and been one of the best global imports to light up the Big Bash.

Kieron Pollard gets close to Kevin Pietersen in BBL 06. Picture: AAP Images

But despite reaching the semi-finals in all six seasons the Stars are still searching for a maiden championship.

They will meet a weakened Scorchers outfit on Boxing Day with Jason Behrendorff (back), Nathan Coulter-Nile (back) and Sam Whiteman (finger) injured and Shaun Marsh, Mitch Marsh and Cameron Bancroft likely to be with the Test team.

The Stars and Scorchers have met in five semi-finals with Perth leading 4-1.

MELBOURNE STARS FIXTURE

DATE OPPONENT VENUE

Wednesday Heat Gabba

Boxing Day Scorchers WACA Ground

January 2 Heat MCG

January 6 Renegades MCG

January 9 Strikers Adelaide Oval

January 12 Renegades Etihad Stadium

January 16 Sixers MCG

January 20 Thunder MCG

January 23 Sixers SCG

January 27 Hurricanes MCG

MELBOURNE RENEGADES FIXTURE

DATE OPPONENT VENUE

Thursday Hurricanes Blundstone Arena

Saturday Heat Etihad Stadium

December 29 Scorchers Etihad Stadium

January 3 Sixers Geelong

January 6 Stars MCG

January 8 Scorchers WACA Ground

January 12 Stars Etihad Stadium

January 22 Strikers Etihad Stadium

January 24 Thunder Canberra

January 27 Heat Gabba