Pietersen brilliance builds strong lead
Monday, 23 July 2007
After a quiet few weeks, at least on the field, Kevin Pietersen burst back into form with his ninth century, and third of the season, as England built a commanding lead of 379 on the fourth day at Lord's. Pietersen picked an opportune moment to recapture his swagger after RP Singh's three morning wickets kept India's hopes alive. However, Pietersen's stand of 119 with Matt Prior regained the initiative in some style although Singh put his name on the honours board by closing the innings, reports Cricinfo.
The defining passage of play came in the hour after lunch as Pietersen launched a full assault on the Indian bowlers. At the break he had 62 off 119 balls, but needed only 27 more to bring up his hundred. Two boundaries off Singh's first over of the afternoon session showed Pietersen's intent and he raced through the nineties by taking Anil Kumble to the cleaners. He cut a short ball to the cover fence, lofted a handsome six towards the media centre and reached three figures with a wristy flick through midwicket.
Pietersen began the day on 15 and had to be watchful throughout the first session as England lost Michael Vaughan, Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell in quick succession. Before this Test Pietersen spoke about feeling tired and his comments sparked mixed reaction. He is never one to hold back on a celebration, but there was raw emotion on display as he enjoyed his hundred, suggesting that he'd answered a few questions. Of the 205 runs England added, 119 came from Pietersen's bat.
It was very different during the morning as the match remained an enthralling contest between bat and ball. England couldn't find early momentum and, for the second time in the match, it was Singh's switch to round-the-wicket that caused Vaughan's downfall. The ball after edging a drive wide of second slip Vaughan got an inside edge as he drove again - this time the ball swinging in - and lost his off stump. Yesterday was all about James Anderson's art, but Singh was producing a masterclass of his own.
Singh's short spell with Leicestershire earlier this season didn't set pulses racing with eight wickets at 31 in two matches and he was affected by nerves on the opening day here. The past few days, though, he has caught England's batsmen by surprise with his pace and has shown the ability to move the ball both ways.
Scorecard
England 1st innings:
AJ Strauss c Dravid b Kumble 96
AN Cook lbw b Ganguly 36
MP Vaughan c Dhoni b Singh 79
KP Pietersen c Dhoni b Khan 37
PD Collingwood lbw b Kumble 0
RJ Sidebottom b Singh 1
IR Bell b Khan 20
MJ Prior lbw b Sreesanth 1
CT Tremlett lbw b Sreesanth 0
MS Panesar lbw b Sreesanth 0
JM Anderson not out 0
Extras: (b 9, lb 10, w 7, nb 2) 28
Total: (all out; 91.2 overs) 298
India 1st innings:
KD Karthik lbw b Sidebottom 5
W Jaffer c & b Tremlett 58
R Dravid c Prior b Anderson 2
SR Tendulkar lbw b Anderson 37
SC Ganguly b Anderson 34
RP Singh c Anderson b Sidebottom 17
VVS Laxman c Prior b Sidebottom 15
MS Dhoni c Bell b Anderson 0
A Kumble lbw b Sidebottom 11
Z Khan c Strauss b Anderson 7
S Sreesanth not out 0
Extras: (b 4, lb 7, nb 4) 15
Total: (all out; 77.2 overs) 201
Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Karthik, 8.3 ov), 2-27 (Dravid, 11.5 ov), 3-106 (Tendulkar, 35.4 ov), 4-134 (Jaffer, 53.6 ov), 5-155 (Ganguly, 62.3 ov), 6-173 (Singh, 66.5 ov), 7-175 (Dhoni, 69.5 ov), 8-192 (Kumble, 74.6 ov), 9-197 (Laxman, 76.4 ov) and 10-201 (Khan, 77.2 ov)
England 2nd innings:
AJ Strauss c Tendulkar b Khan 18
AN Cook lbw b Khan 17
MP Vaughan b Singh 30
KP Pietersen b Singh 134
PD Collingwood c Laxman b Singh 4
IR Bell b Singh 9
MJ Prior c Dhoni b Khan 42
CT Tremlett b Khan 0
RJ Sidebottom c Dravid b Kumble 9
MS Panesar lbw b Singh 3
JM Anderson not out 4
Extras: (b 9, lb 1, w 2) 12
Total: (all out; 78.3 overs) 282
India 2nd innings:
W Jaffer c Pietersen b Anderson 8
KD Karthik not out 33
R Dravid lbw b Tremlett 9
SR Tendulkar not out 2
Extras: (b 4, lb 2) 6
Total: (2 wickets; 14.6 overs) 58
To bat: SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman, wicket-keeperMS Dhoni, A Kumble, Z Khan, RP Singh and S Sreesanth
Toss: England, who chose to bat first
The defining passage of play came in the hour after lunch as Pietersen launched a full assault on the Indian bowlers. At the break he had 62 off 119 balls, but needed only 27 more to bring up his hundred. Two boundaries off Singh's first over of the afternoon session showed Pietersen's intent and he raced through the nineties by taking Anil Kumble to the cleaners. He cut a short ball to the cover fence, lofted a handsome six towards the media centre and reached three figures with a wristy flick through midwicket.
Pietersen began the day on 15 and had to be watchful throughout the first session as England lost Michael Vaughan, Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell in quick succession. Before this Test Pietersen spoke about feeling tired and his comments sparked mixed reaction. He is never one to hold back on a celebration, but there was raw emotion on display as he enjoyed his hundred, suggesting that he'd answered a few questions. Of the 205 runs England added, 119 came from Pietersen's bat.
It was very different during the morning as the match remained an enthralling contest between bat and ball. England couldn't find early momentum and, for the second time in the match, it was Singh's switch to round-the-wicket that caused Vaughan's downfall. The ball after edging a drive wide of second slip Vaughan got an inside edge as he drove again - this time the ball swinging in - and lost his off stump. Yesterday was all about James Anderson's art, but Singh was producing a masterclass of his own.
Singh's short spell with Leicestershire earlier this season didn't set pulses racing with eight wickets at 31 in two matches and he was affected by nerves on the opening day here. The past few days, though, he has caught England's batsmen by surprise with his pace and has shown the ability to move the ball both ways.
Scorecard
England 1st innings:
AJ Strauss c Dravid b Kumble 96
AN Cook lbw b Ganguly 36
MP Vaughan c Dhoni b Singh 79
KP Pietersen c Dhoni b Khan 37
PD Collingwood lbw b Kumble 0
RJ Sidebottom b Singh 1
IR Bell b Khan 20
MJ Prior lbw b Sreesanth 1
CT Tremlett lbw b Sreesanth 0
MS Panesar lbw b Sreesanth 0
JM Anderson not out 0
Extras: (b 9, lb 10, w 7, nb 2) 28
Total: (all out; 91.2 overs) 298
India 1st innings:
KD Karthik lbw b Sidebottom 5
W Jaffer c & b Tremlett 58
R Dravid c Prior b Anderson 2
SR Tendulkar lbw b Anderson 37
SC Ganguly b Anderson 34
RP Singh c Anderson b Sidebottom 17
VVS Laxman c Prior b Sidebottom 15
MS Dhoni c Bell b Anderson 0
A Kumble lbw b Sidebottom 11
Z Khan c Strauss b Anderson 7
S Sreesanth not out 0
Extras: (b 4, lb 7, nb 4) 15
Total: (all out; 77.2 overs) 201
Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Karthik, 8.3 ov), 2-27 (Dravid, 11.5 ov), 3-106 (Tendulkar, 35.4 ov), 4-134 (Jaffer, 53.6 ov), 5-155 (Ganguly, 62.3 ov), 6-173 (Singh, 66.5 ov), 7-175 (Dhoni, 69.5 ov), 8-192 (Kumble, 74.6 ov), 9-197 (Laxman, 76.4 ov) and 10-201 (Khan, 77.2 ov)
England 2nd innings:
AJ Strauss c Tendulkar b Khan 18
AN Cook lbw b Khan 17
MP Vaughan b Singh 30
KP Pietersen b Singh 134
PD Collingwood c Laxman b Singh 4
IR Bell b Singh 9
MJ Prior c Dhoni b Khan 42
CT Tremlett b Khan 0
RJ Sidebottom c Dravid b Kumble 9
MS Panesar lbw b Singh 3
JM Anderson not out 4
Extras: (b 9, lb 1, w 2) 12
Total: (all out; 78.3 overs) 282
India 2nd innings:
W Jaffer c Pietersen b Anderson 8
KD Karthik not out 33
R Dravid lbw b Tremlett 9
SR Tendulkar not out 2
Extras: (b 4, lb 2) 6
Total: (2 wickets; 14.6 overs) 58
To bat: SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman, wicket-keeperMS Dhoni, A Kumble, Z Khan, RP Singh and S Sreesanth
Toss: England, who chose to bat first