ENGLAND will stand together against Australia throughout this winter’s Ashes – and that includes Kevin Pietersen.

Coach Andy Flower yesterday morning found himself responding to claims from Shane Warne that Pietersen is an “outcast” in an otherwise closely-knit touring squad.

He duly gave no credence to that suggestion from the great ex-Australia leg-spinner, who appears to believe his fellow former Hampshire player’s relationship with the national team suffered after he lost the captaincy at the start of last year.

Flower, whose team will face Australia at the Gabba in the first Test from Thursday, is bemused by Warne’s rationale. “He’s anything but an outcast,” he said.

“He’s a good guy to have in the dressing room, a great player to have on your side – a very dangerous player that the opposition worry about.

“We expect great things from him and (also) that he takes part in team dynamics like everyone else does – and that is what he does.”

Flower concedes the mercurial Pietersen has a compulsion to take the starring role, but reasons that is no bad thing for someone so talented.