kevin pietersen has signed a contract to return to surrey this summer and will donate all of his salary to his kp24 foundation the move gives the record breaking batsman the opportunity to press for an england recall, after being sacked in february 2014 following the ashes whitewash defeat in australia pietersen cleared the way for a return to the oval by agreeing a release from the majority of his indian premier league contract with sunrisers hyderabad   which clashed with the start of the english domestic season   and he will be available for surrey's first county championship match against glamorgan in cardiff on april 19 encouraged by new england and wales cricket board chairman colin graves' indication that he may be back in the mix if he can impress again in county cricket, the 34 year old pietersen has two months to do that if he is to achieve his dream of a test recall in time for this summer's ashes rematch kevin pietersen will have nine county championship matches at the most to impress england's selectors  he's secured a released from sunrisers hyderabad to stake his claim for an england return in the ashes  pietersen told surrey's website kiaovalcom: 'i'm absolutely thrilled to be back at surrey 'it's a club very close to my heart   and (director of cricket) alec stewart, (coach) graham ford and everyone at the club has been exceptionally supportive 'there is a fantastic group of lads here, and i hope we can deliver what the great surrey fans want to see   lots of runs and comprehensive victories' pietersen also wrote in his column in the telegraph: 'when i heard colin graves say that i would be considered for selection again if i play county cricket and score runs i realised i had the opportunity for a fresh start i always said this was not about money and i will be donating my full surrey wage to my foundation 'even if this does not work out and i do not get back in the england team, i will at least end my career knowing i gave it another shot i would kick myself for a long time if i walked away now without having a go 'a lot of people thought i would not be prepared to put in the hard yards and play county cricket but i will do anything to get that england cap back on my head' pietersen will donate his full salary from surrey to his kp24 foundation  imminent surrey signing pietersen says he will 'do everything in my power to earn a recall' with england  stewart added: 'a kevin pietersen with ambitions to play for england and a real determination to score big runs for surrey will be a huge asset to us' the apparent clinching development in pietersen's negotiations to rejoin the club which de registered him at the end of last season was the sunrisers' willingness to release him from the majority of his contract pietersen would have been in india for more than seven weeks   and surrey, for whom he played only twenty20 cricket last summer, did not appear immediately keen to secure his services again unless they knew his availability would be more comprehensive this time the controversial south africa born batsman's ambition to play for england again may not depend entirely on him demonstrating form and fitness but irrespective of mixed messages from the ecb, that is where he must start he was described by ecb managing director paul downton as 'disengaged' during england's heavy defeat in sydney almost 15 months ago   his last test to date, in which the ashes whitewash was completed pietersen was axed by england following their 5 0 ashes whitewash in australia last winter  pietersen in action for surrey in the natwest t20 blast last summer  pietersen started the year by playing more short form cricket for melbourne stars in the big bash  weeks later, pietersen was sacked   in a meeting attended by downton and also test captain alastair cook downton, cook, national selector james whitaker and returning coach peter moores   contrary to the tone of graves' remarks   have all reiterated, in their different forms of words, that pietersen remains firmly on the outside as far as they are concerned england embark on a three test tour to west indies, without pietersen of course, early next month   and have already been left in no doubt by graves, set to begin his tenure officially in may, that victory over what he describes as 'mediocre' opponents is non negotiable while they are busy with their caribbean mission, pietersen has his chance to impress and make headlines on home soil   and therefore put his name back in the mix in time for the start of the ashes in july
the county championship england pietersen february 2014 surrey kevin pietersen sunrisers hyderabad 34 year old
kevin pietersen  signs with surrey for the county championship  he will have nine games to impress england selectors before the ashes  pietersen negotiated a released from sunrisers hyderabad in the ipl  the 34 year old will donate his full surrey salary to his foundation  pietersen was axed by england in february 2014 following ashes debacle 