Pietersen was in form ahead of England's clash with New Zealand

England's Kevin Pietersen shone on his Twenty20 Cup debut but still finished on the losing side as Hampshire were beaten by Middlesex at the Rose Bowl.

Pietersen, surely keen to lead his side to the all-new Champions League, took 3-33 and then hit 43 off 29 balls.

Replying to Middlesex's 190-7, in which Owais Shah top-scored with 48, the Hawks fell short on 157-8.

Former Hampshire spinner Shaun Udal effectively made the difference for the visitors with a brisk 32 not out.

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Returning to the club he served for 20 years for the first time, Udal hit three sixes and then strangled Hampshire in mid-innings with a spell of 3-21 from his four-over allotment.

The 39-year-old's dismissal of Pietersen to a catch at backward point by Murali Kartik proved to be the turning point of the match.

Two balls later, he trapped Sean Ervine (31) leg before and from that position Hampshire never recovered.

Coming in at three, Pietersen looked in superb form ahead of England's Twenty20 international against New Zealand at Old Trafford on Friday, putting on 74 in only seven overs for the fourth wicket, but he could not prevent his side's defeat.

Having been put in to bat, Middlesex raced to their total with England Test opener Andrew Strauss (27), Ed Smith (27), Shah and Joyce (34) providing valuable contributions.

Joyce hit two sixes in his 34 but Shah was the pick with five emphatic boundaries.

Pietersen removed Shah, Joyce and then Tim Murtagh, to an outstanding catch off his own bowling, to help limit the visitors' total, but Hampshire's response was not enough.