KEVIN Pietersen achieved an unfortunate distinction in England’s remarkable first- Test victory in Cardiff – the only frontline home batsman to be out for a single-figure score.

As he once again succumbed to the nemesis of leftarm spin, others filled their boots with hundreds to pile up 496 for five declared.

England had much reason for encouragement as they went 1-0 up with two to play after a remarkable outcome to a match which had seemed destined for so long to end in a rain-induced stalemate.

Instead, a surge of secondinnings wickets from Chris Tremlett and Graeme Swann converted Jonathan Trott, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell’s runs into an unexpected win.

While coach Andy Flower could reflect with satisfaction on odds and circumstances defied, he also found himself once again speaking out in support of Pietersen.

He chose strong words too, voicing not merely a plaintive hope that England’s one-time world-beater can return to former glories but that he most definitely will.

‘‘It is obvious he has had his issues,’’ he said of the middle-order batsman, who made a man-of-the-match double-hundred only six Test innings ago in Adelaide, yet once set such seismic standards that regular heroics are still expected.

Flower echoed the same confidence he expressed this time last year in Pietersen, but which was not vindicated in a difficult summer for all Test batsmen.

‘‘I will be perfectly honest with you, I am very excited by what I see from KP at the moment,’’ he said.

‘‘I think he’s on the verge of being a very heavy scorer again. I love the way he’s training and I know when he transfers that to the middle he’s going to be a very heavy scorer.

‘‘I envisage him having a great summer for England.’’ Rangana Herath became the latest left-arm orthodox to send Pietersen packing early.

‘‘He’s had his obvious battles playing left-arm spin but he is aware of them and is working hard at them,’’ added Flower.

‘‘When he was out in Bangladesh he scored a very, very fine Test century (he actually scored 99) against at least two left-arm spinners.

‘‘He worked hard in the nets there on his method against left-arm spin and he played them very comfortably.

‘‘Since then he has had a few ups and downs, but I don’t envisage this problem continuing.’’ England, who named uncapped swing bowler Jade Dernbach in a 12-man squad minus the injured James Anderson, can wrap up the three-match npower series early with a second victory.

Dernbach is probably still unlikely to pip Steven Finn for the last place in a threeman pace attack this week.

But whoever joins Broad and Tremlett at Lord’s will need to impress – because England hope Anderson will be fit again for the third Test in Southampton.

‘‘I think he might be fit for the Rose Bowl,’’ said Flower.

‘‘It was a grade one tear at worst – but being an intercostal muscle and in an area where he has had stiffness before, the cautious option was to take him out of the attack.

‘‘I do envisage him being back for that Test.’’