A magnificent century from Kevin Pietersen has rescued England on the First Day of the Third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
England were struggling on just 86-5 at one point, but Pietersen came to the rescue, scoring 115 runs, including 14 Fours (but no Sixes), to make England's current score more respectable at the end of the first day of this five day match.
The Queen's husband was at the stadium, in Nottingham, to open a new stand....
By Jamie Lillywhite
BBC
PIETERSEN CENTURY RESCUES ENGLAND
Pietersen showed signs of his free-flowing best with classic improvisation, scoring 115 runs to help England recover from poor start
First Day of the Third Test (at Trent Bridge, Nottingham)
ENGLAND VS NEW ZEALAND
1st Innings
England 273-7
England lead the Series 1-0. First match was a draw.
England: Strauss, Cook, Vaughan, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Ambrose, Broad, Sidebottom, Panesar, Anderson
New Zealand: How, Redmond, McCullum, Taylor, Flynn, Oram, Hopkins, Vettori, Mills, O'Brien, Martin
A magnificent 12th Test century from Kevin Pietersen helped England to 273-7 after day one of the final Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
England, who lead the series 1-0, were 86-5 after losing Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood in 13 balls.
But Pietersen (115) hit 14 fours and shared 161 in 50 overs with Tim Ambrose (67) to rescue England's innings.
Iain O'Brien ended Pietersen's fine innings and then removed Ambrose as the visitors fought back with the new ball.
Much was made of the revolutionary new trousers New Zealand were to pioneer, with a different textured top half to help shine the ball.
They will not be rolled out until October, but even without them the tourists still managed to find some early movement, having taken the bold decision to field first on a sunny morning, although they were aided by some indifferent shots from several members of the England top order.
Alastair Cook again seemed out of sorts and was feeling for the ball outside off-stump, the ball fizzing off the inside edge through a large gap between bat and pad to uproot his leg stump.
Michael Vaughan's innings began with three unplayable deliveries from Kyle Mills, zipping away in the air and off the seam.
In the next over some loose ones from an ineffective Chris Martin allowed him to get off the mark with three boundaries in an over, featuring some classical drives, but Vaughan too was soon beaten after leaving a chasm between blade and leg guard.
The wicket of Strauss led to a dramatic England collapse after lunch
Strauss, full of confidence after his century in the victory at Old Trafford, took his team calmly to 84-2 at lunch, but in the first over after the interval edged a very wide delivery high to first slip.
Two players who both should have been dismissed at Trent Bridge but who guided England to victory, this time were both dismissed without scoring.
Bell played all round a full delivery, and a dejected Collingwood, who has scored just 63 runs for club and country this summer, scarcely moved his feet as he nicked one to slip.
Ambrose opened his account with a cut for four to bring up the 100 in the 36th over, and though he demonstrated his liking for width with a century in New Zealand last winter, the Kiwis still gave him too much room outside the off-stump.
Even Daniel Vettori, who had such a stranglehold over England for much of the Old Trafford Test, could not build pressure against Pietersen and Ambrose, not helped by the slow surface and failing to record a maiden.
The placid surface also caused occasional problems for Pietersen, who would have liked more pace to play his shots, but there were still some strokes to savour, none more so than the emphatic extra cover drive that brought up his century.
Eight overs before the close he gave debutant wicket-keeper Gareth Hopkins, replacing back injury concern Brendon McCullum - who still threw himself around in the field - a maiden catch.
Ambrose seemed set for a second century against the Kiwis but the cut shot that brought him a healthy percentage of runs proved to be his downfall.
England have gone 11 Tests without reaching 400, and though Stuart Broad struck some promising shots, he has much to do on Friday, with far from the ideal supporting cast, if they are to end that run.
England captain Michael Vaughan, whose side lead the series 1-0, loses the toss for the final Test at Trent Bridge
New Zealand put England in to bat and Kyle Mills is soon celebrating the early wicket of England's Alastair Cook
Vaughan races to 16 in style but misses a straight one from Iain O'Brien and England are 44-2
Andrew Strauss, who hit a century in the second Test, plays a circumspect innings to help England reach 84-2 at lunch
But Strauss plays at a wide one and is caught by Ross Taylor at slip in the first over after lunch off the bowling of Mills
Ian Bell faces two balls before he is trapped lbw by O'Brien for a third-ball duck as the Kiwis hit back
Paul Collingwood's miserable form continues as he also falls for a duck and England lose three wickets for two runs to slump to 86-5
Kevin Pietersen plays just the occasional bold shot as he bats sensibly to leads England's fightback
Tim Ambrose provides brave support as England make the New Zealand bowlers toil in the afternoon sunshine
Pietersen congratulates Ambrose as the duo head off for tea after an unbeaten stand of 96
The Duke of Edinburgh arrives at Trent Bridge to open the new stand
Pietersen completes his 12th Test century off 194 balls and celebrates in style, but he is out for 115 shortly afterwards
England were struggling on just 86-5 at one point, but Pietersen came to the rescue, scoring 115 runs, including 14 Fours (but no Sixes), to make England's current score more respectable at the end of the first day of this five day match.
The Queen's husband was at the stadium, in Nottingham, to open a new stand....
By Jamie Lillywhite
BBC
PIETERSEN CENTURY RESCUES ENGLAND
Pietersen showed signs of his free-flowing best with classic improvisation, scoring 115 runs to help England recover from poor start
First Day of the Third Test (at Trent Bridge, Nottingham)
ENGLAND VS NEW ZEALAND
1st Innings
England 273-7
England lead the Series 1-0. First match was a draw.
England: Strauss, Cook, Vaughan, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Ambrose, Broad, Sidebottom, Panesar, Anderson
New Zealand: How, Redmond, McCullum, Taylor, Flynn, Oram, Hopkins, Vettori, Mills, O'Brien, Martin
A magnificent 12th Test century from Kevin Pietersen helped England to 273-7 after day one of the final Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
England, who lead the series 1-0, were 86-5 after losing Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood in 13 balls.
But Pietersen (115) hit 14 fours and shared 161 in 50 overs with Tim Ambrose (67) to rescue England's innings.
Iain O'Brien ended Pietersen's fine innings and then removed Ambrose as the visitors fought back with the new ball.
Much was made of the revolutionary new trousers New Zealand were to pioneer, with a different textured top half to help shine the ball.
They will not be rolled out until October, but even without them the tourists still managed to find some early movement, having taken the bold decision to field first on a sunny morning, although they were aided by some indifferent shots from several members of the England top order.
Alastair Cook again seemed out of sorts and was feeling for the ball outside off-stump, the ball fizzing off the inside edge through a large gap between bat and pad to uproot his leg stump.
Michael Vaughan's innings began with three unplayable deliveries from Kyle Mills, zipping away in the air and off the seam.
In the next over some loose ones from an ineffective Chris Martin allowed him to get off the mark with three boundaries in an over, featuring some classical drives, but Vaughan too was soon beaten after leaving a chasm between blade and leg guard.
Strauss, full of confidence after his century in the victory at Old Trafford, took his team calmly to 84-2 at lunch, but in the first over after the interval edged a very wide delivery high to first slip.
Two players who both should have been dismissed at Trent Bridge but who guided England to victory, this time were both dismissed without scoring.
Bell played all round a full delivery, and a dejected Collingwood, who has scored just 63 runs for club and country this summer, scarcely moved his feet as he nicked one to slip.
Ambrose opened his account with a cut for four to bring up the 100 in the 36th over, and though he demonstrated his liking for width with a century in New Zealand last winter, the Kiwis still gave him too much room outside the off-stump.
Even Daniel Vettori, who had such a stranglehold over England for much of the Old Trafford Test, could not build pressure against Pietersen and Ambrose, not helped by the slow surface and failing to record a maiden.
The placid surface also caused occasional problems for Pietersen, who would have liked more pace to play his shots, but there were still some strokes to savour, none more so than the emphatic extra cover drive that brought up his century.
Eight overs before the close he gave debutant wicket-keeper Gareth Hopkins, replacing back injury concern Brendon McCullum - who still threw himself around in the field - a maiden catch.
Ambrose seemed set for a second century against the Kiwis but the cut shot that brought him a healthy percentage of runs proved to be his downfall.
England have gone 11 Tests without reaching 400, and though Stuart Broad struck some promising shots, he has much to do on Friday, with far from the ideal supporting cast, if they are to end that run.
England captain Michael Vaughan, whose side lead the series 1-0, loses the toss for the final Test at Trent Bridge
New Zealand put England in to bat and Kyle Mills is soon celebrating the early wicket of England's Alastair Cook
Vaughan races to 16 in style but misses a straight one from Iain O'Brien and England are 44-2
Andrew Strauss, who hit a century in the second Test, plays a circumspect innings to help England reach 84-2 at lunch
But Strauss plays at a wide one and is caught by Ross Taylor at slip in the first over after lunch off the bowling of Mills
Ian Bell faces two balls before he is trapped lbw by O'Brien for a third-ball duck as the Kiwis hit back
Paul Collingwood's miserable form continues as he also falls for a duck and England lose three wickets for two runs to slump to 86-5
Kevin Pietersen plays just the occasional bold shot as he bats sensibly to leads England's fightback
Tim Ambrose provides brave support as England make the New Zealand bowlers toil in the afternoon sunshine
Pietersen congratulates Ambrose as the duo head off for tea after an unbeaten stand of 96
The Duke of Edinburgh arrives at Trent Bridge to open the new stand
Pietersen completes his 12th Test century off 194 balls and celebrates in style, but he is out for 115 shortly afterwards