The Ashes: Kevin Pietersen misses close friend on eve of 100th Test

England batsman Kevin Pietersen will remember his friend Jon Cole Edwards as he begins his 100th Test match.

Kevin Pietersen

South Africa-born Pietersen joined up with the England squad in Australia a few days late last month after attending the funeral of his childhood friend Edwards, who died following a long battle with cancer.

It has been tough on Pietersen, whose century of Tests will take on a special poignancy when he takes the field for the first match of the Ashes in Brisbane.

"I lost my best mate who I grew up with as a kid and losing him has really hurt me over the last month or so," said Pietersen.

"It has been bad. I got to say goodbye to him 18 hours before he passed away and left us. He left his wife and twins behind.

I will be thinking about him if I get a big one here. I've been speaking with his mum and yesterday she said, ‘Jon will be watching'."