Sat, Jul 12, 2008 page20

• Pietersen puts England in charge

  PRESSURE ON PROTEAS Kevin Pietersen hit 152 and Ian Bell also recorded a ton as Graeme Smith’s decision to field first looked a very costly one for South Africa

  • AFP
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  South Africa-born Kevin Pietersen made 152 against the Proteas as England strengthened their grip on the first Test at Lord’s yesterday.

  England, at lunch on the second day, were 422 for five — the first time in 13 Tests they have made 400 or more in the first innings since reaching the landmark against the West Indies at the Riverside last year.

  Ian Bell was 118 not out and Tim Ambrose four not out.

  

  England batsman Ian Bell jumps as he runs down the wicket to celebrate his century against South Africa during the second day of the first Test at Lord’s in London yesterday.

  PHOTO: AFP

  Pietersen, in his first Test against the land of his birth, and Bell had earlier shared an England fourth-wicket record stand against South Africa of 286.

  It looked as if both men would bat through the session when Pietersen, who had gone past 150 for the fifth time in Test cricket, saw a gloved hook off Morne Morkel caught down the leg-side by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

  His near five-hour innings saw Pietersen, dropped on 133 by Jacques Kallis, face 181 balls with one six and 26 fours.

  

  South Africa bowler Morne Morkel, center rear, runs down the wicket as England batsman Kevin Pietersen, right, watches the ball being caught by South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, center front, at Lord’s in London yesterday.

  PHOTO: AFP

  The one surprise was that the 1.98m Morkel, who took two wickets on Thursday, had to wait 14 overs yesterday before coming into the attack.

  And two balls after a brief rain break, Paul Collingwood exited for 7, caught at short leg by Hashim Amla off left-arm spinner Paul Harris.

  England resumed yesterday on 309 for three, with Pietersen 104 not out and Bell unbeaten on 75.

  The duo, with Bell taking the early lead, had regained the initiative for England after they had lost three wickets in quick succession to go from 114 without loss to 117 for three following a century opening stand between left-handers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook.

  South Africa’s pace bowlers were not consistently accurate enough on Thursday to back up captain Graeme Smith’s decision to field first. Smith’s mood would not have been improved yesterday by the sight of Bell clipping the second ball of the day from Dale Steyn off his legs for four.

  Pietersen’s boundary off Makhaya Ntini, who had missed a chance to run him out when the Hampshire batsman was on a duck, brought up the 200 stand.

  That also marked a new England fourth-wicket record against South Africa, surpassing the 197 put on by Wally Hammond and Les Ames at Cape Town during the 1938/1939 tour.

  Steyn, after an spell of five overs for 29 runs, was replaced by Kallis, whose first ball beat Bell’s outside edge.

  But two deliveries later the all-rounder gave Pietersen a reprieve, when he dropped a caught and bowled chance off a hard-hit drive, despite getting both hands to the ball with England 372 for three. Pietersen, in a manner reminiscent of West Indies great Vivian Richards, guided Ntini, whose first six overs yesterday cost an expensive 40 runs, off the front foot for a boundary which split the fielders at square leg and deep backward square.

  All the while Bell was advancing steadily to his hundred and two off pace man Kallis took him to a century off 189 balls, with 11 fours.

  It was the 26-year-old’s eighth hundred in his 40 Tests and came at an ideal time for the Warwickshire batsman.

  Bell had come into this match under pressure after making just 45 runs in his four previous Test innings against New Zealand and with his place under threat from all-rounder Andrew Flintoff’s imminent return from injury.
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