ENGLAND new boy Kevin Pietersen is preparing to consider a move to Hampshire.
Hampshire manager Paul Terry has joined Kent and Surrey at the head of a lengthening queue to sign the 24-year-old South African, who will play for England in Zimbabwe in November - two months after qualifying via the four year residency rule.
And the off spinning all rounder has admitted that he is interested in a move to the Rose Bowl, despite the temptation of playing on the batter-friendly wickets at the Oval and Canterbury.
Pietersen said: "I'd definitely look at a possible deal with Hampshire, I'm not counting them out, but I would need to find out from Hampshire what their goals are for the next two to three years and how they want to play.
"I've written down a list of quite a few things what I want out of my next contract and it just depends on which county gets the most ticks.
"There has been no official offer from anyone yet, and money is not the main motivation for me."
It is illegal for counties to approach contracted players without a 28-day notice of approach, which has not been made by Hampshire, so Pietersen's new employers are unlikely to be confirmed before his current deal expires at the end of October.
But Pietersen, whose girlfriend wants to live nearer London, is almost certain to be heading south wherever he goes.
Kent were interested in signing him last year, before being warned off by Notts, and they now need replacements for Alex Loudon and Ed Smith, who have departed to Warwickshire and Middlesex respectively.
Surrey will also provide stiff opposition in the race for one of the most highly prized signatures of the close season.
Meanwhile, Simon Katich remains the man most likely to play the first two months of next season alongside Shane Warne.
Hampshire are hoping to get the go-ahead from Cricket Australia to sign Warne and another Australian to play the first half of next season, before the Ashes series starts in July.
And Katich is the favourite because, unlike Michael Clarke and Shane Watson, he is unlikely to be in Australia's squad for the one-day matches played throughout June.
But Terry said: "Nothing has been confirmed yet because we're still not totally sure who is going to be in the various Australian squads.
"Simon Katich and Michael Clarke will be right up there in our thinking and we've spoken to Shane Watson as well but it all depends on availability."
Terry has ruled out signing a batsman from another Test-playing country despite the fact that Pakistan, New Zealand and India do not have Test series scheduled for next summer.
He added: "Those countries are bound to have various competitions added in at some stage but the Australians have been good for us, we know what they can do.
"We've got a group of three or four of them and we want to keep them on board."
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