Michael Carberry has leapt to the defence of Kevin Pietersen after the England batsman's dismissal before the close of the second day of the third Test.

With the tourists at 146-3 and having endured a tough examination from Australia's bowling attack, Pietersen swatted a Peter Siddle delivery to Mitchell Johnson at mid-on who took the catch, but Carberry refused to criticise his teammate's shot selection.

Carberry told reporters: "It's a shot that many of us have seen him play time and time again and hit it out of the ground.

"We want people to play how they play naturally. I wouldn't want to see Kevin put that shot in the locker."

Peter Siddle has now dismissed Pietersen ten times in Ashes Tests.