KP's double hundred puts England in sight of victory

Kevin Pietersen broke new ground on Saturday with a maiden Test double hundred to help put England in sight of an innings victory and a 1-0 series lead against West Indies at Headingley.

His effort was impressively backed up Ryan Sidebottom. Playing only his second Test, six years after a wicketless debut, the left-arm quick took six wickets in a day with West Indies, at stumps on the second day, needing 402 to make England bat again.

Pietersen's 226 was the centerpiece of England's 570-for-seven declared. Sidebottom then took four-for-42 as West Indies were bowled out for 146.

England captain Michael Vaughan, who had earlier marked his return to Test cricket after an injury-induced absence of 18 months with 103, had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on.

Sidebottom then struck twice more to leave West Indies 22 for two in their second innings at stumps.

Pietersen's was the highest individual Test innings by an England cricketer since Graham Gooch's 333 against India at Lord's 17 years ago.

And it also meant the 26-year-old batsman had at last got past his previous Test best of 158 — a score he'd made three times.

"I was very happy to get past it," said Pietersen, four of whose eight Test hundreds, from just 25 matches, are in excess of 150. "It's something I've been criticized for, not getting big scores. But it was there for me to build an innings. That's what I concentrated on."

Pietersen had a lucky break early in his innings when he was stumped off a no-ball on 20.

But he insisted he hadn't dwelt on his reprieve.

"I'm not scared of getting out, I don't fear failure," he said.

? ICC President dies

AFP, LEEDS, England

International Cricket Council (ICC) president Percy Sonn has died aged 57 the governing body announced in a statement from its Dubai headquarters yesterday.

Sonn had spent several days in a Cape Town hospital following complications after undergoing a minor colon operation.

He was the first African to head up the ICC but his death leaves the organization without an obvious successor after England's David Morgan and India's Sharad Pawar tied in a recent vote to replace him.

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said: "Percy's mantra was that the game should be inclusive not exclusive; he relished modern cricket's diversity"

Sonn's predecessor as ICC president, Ehsan Mani said: "As a cricket administrator and a man, Percy Sonn was a giant."