Pietersen picks up England's pieces
Friday, 6 June 2008
Never let it be said that Kevin Pietersen is not a man for a crisis. Three months on from his series-saving century on the first morning of the third Test in Napier, Pietersen was back in the runs in similar circumstances at Trent Bridge. After losing the toss and being asked to bat first by New Zealand, England slumped to 86 for 5 in swinging conditions, before Pietersen turned his team's fortunes around, making an unbeaten 71 in partnership with Tim Ambrose, who reached tea on 36 not out, according to website cricinfo.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first by New Zealand, England batted with the looseness that has become a characteristic of the top six in recent matches. Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan fell cheaply in the first hour, and though Pietersen and Andrew Strauss carried England to a comfortable 84 for 2 at lunch, the biggest meltdown was yet to come. In the space of 18 balls of the resumption, England lost three wickets for two runs - including both Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell for ducks.
It was a situation reminiscent of their morning collapse at Napier - 4 for 3 had been the scoreline on that occasion - and then as now, Pietersen's response was to grow in stature to match the adversity. He did his hard work in the morning session, defending with big watchful strides and leaving Strauss to pick off the bulk of the runs in a deftly compiled 37. After the break, however, when Strauss fell without addition, Pietersen eased through his gears and began striking the ball at the top of the bounce with all his familiar confidence.
Ambrose played an invaluable support role, his sparkiest effort since his maiden Test hundred at Wellington in March, and unfurled his favourite uppercut to great effect every time the bowlers dropped short. But Pietersen was England's main man. He brought up his fifty from 106 balls with a hockey-style wipe through midwicket off Vettori, and picked off three further boundaries off the disappointing Chris Martin, who failed to make the most of conditions that belied the bright sunshine of the day, and continued to offer swing to all the bowlers even as the ball approached its 60th over.
It was swing allied to poor technique that accounted for each of the five England wickets to fall, as New Zealand gambled at the toss by choosing to bowl first, and were well rewarded for their boldness. Since the erection of the new
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first by New Zealand, England batted with the looseness that has become a characteristic of the top six in recent matches. Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan fell cheaply in the first hour, and though Pietersen and Andrew Strauss carried England to a comfortable 84 for 2 at lunch, the biggest meltdown was yet to come. In the space of 18 balls of the resumption, England lost three wickets for two runs - including both Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell for ducks.
It was a situation reminiscent of their morning collapse at Napier - 4 for 3 had been the scoreline on that occasion - and then as now, Pietersen's response was to grow in stature to match the adversity. He did his hard work in the morning session, defending with big watchful strides and leaving Strauss to pick off the bulk of the runs in a deftly compiled 37. After the break, however, when Strauss fell without addition, Pietersen eased through his gears and began striking the ball at the top of the bounce with all his familiar confidence.
Ambrose played an invaluable support role, his sparkiest effort since his maiden Test hundred at Wellington in March, and unfurled his favourite uppercut to great effect every time the bowlers dropped short. But Pietersen was England's main man. He brought up his fifty from 106 balls with a hockey-style wipe through midwicket off Vettori, and picked off three further boundaries off the disappointing Chris Martin, who failed to make the most of conditions that belied the bright sunshine of the day, and continued to offer swing to all the bowlers even as the ball approached its 60th over.
It was swing allied to poor technique that accounted for each of the five England wickets to fall, as New Zealand gambled at the toss by choosing to bowl first, and were well rewarded for their boldness. Since the erection of the new