ADELAIDE – Kevin Pietersen relished the big stage of an Ashes Test to bat England into an impregnable position with a imperious double-century at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
The third day belonged solely to the man they call the “walking ego” as he dominated a beleaguered Australian bowling attack to remain unconquered on 213 when rain called a halt to play after tea. Pietersen brought up his 17th Test hundred and his third against Australia in his 14th Ashes Test to bring the home side to its knees in a one-sided Test match.
At the close with two days left, England were 551 for four and leading the Australians’ modest first innings tally by 306 runs and the promise of yet more runs to come on Monday. He lived up to his billing as one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket when he plundered 31 fours and a six straight over the head of hapless spinner Xavier Doherty.
Pietersen broke through for his first Test century in 28 innings since his 102 against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in March last year. “It’s not been frustrations, I just set myself high standards, and to get 80s, 90s, 99, 60s, 50s does my head in,” he said.
“It’s not been the best time. You go through your career, you have good stuff and bad stuff. I’ve had a lot of good stuff fortunately and a little bit of bad stuff. It’s gone now, I’m looking forward.” At stumps he was just 13 runs off his highest Test score of 226 set against the West Indies in May 2007.
Pietersen has learned to curb his natural instincts to go after the bowlers, which has cost him some bigger scores in the past. “It’s trying to go through the gears to fifth, then being able to get back down to third and if needs be drop back into first and then go back up,” he said. “It’s something I’ve worked hard on and it’s what the team needs and that’s how we play it. We’re not looking at two or three sessions ahead, we are looking at ten minutes, ten-run partnerships, hours and keeping things simple.”
Such has been the dominance of opener Alastair Cook and number three Jonathan Trott in this series that Pietersen had to wait 11 hours with his pads on to bat in the second innings in Brisbane and in the Adelaide Test. “It was a long time to wait, I’ve never done that in my career before, but how amazing, it was absolutely incredible,” he said. Pietersen has the healthy respect of the Australians, with Shane Watson saying he has the ability to tear any bowling attack apart.
