England's Kevin Pietersen scored his first 100 for his country since March 2009 - and then quickly turned his 100 into 200 to help destroy Australia on the third day of the Second Test of the Ashes at the sweltering Adelaide Oval.
Just before the match, Australia won the toss and decided to put themselves into bat, but what a costly mistake that turned out to be. England's mighty bowlers were absolutely devastating, with Steven Finn, playing in his first Ashes series, taking 4-51. The England bowlers' heroics scuttled the Aussies out for a paltry 245.
In reply, England's batsmen have been as equally devastating as their bowlers. They started off badly, with captain Andrew Strauss being bowled by Bollinger for just 1, but Pietersen's 213 not out and Alistair Cook's 148 have helped England end today's play on 551-4 and a first innings lead of 306.
England were 317-2 overnight which means that, amazingly, England lost just two wickets in the whole of today's play (which lasted approximately seven hours instead of the normal eight hours due to rain stopping play early) - the wickets of Cook (148 ) and Collingwood (42).
And free-scoring England's aggregate total in their last two innings including this one in this Ashes series - 551-4 and, in the second innings of the last match, 517-1 dec - stands at a mind-boggling 1068-5.
Cook had gone 1,057 minutes without being dismissed — beating the previous England best of 1,021 minutes by former captain Nasser Hussain.
All this further reinforces the view of many that England's have overtaken Australia as the best team on the planet.
England will start tomorrow's play still batting - and still with Kevin Pietersen in - and they'll be looking to pile on another 100 to 150 runs in the first few hours of tomorrow's play before declaring (unless they are finally bowled out) to give the Aussies needing a commanding 400 to 450 for victory.
Thanks to Pietersen's heroic double century, England are now odds-on to take a 1-0 lead in the five match Series and take a step towards winning the Ashes in Australia for the first time since 1987. England are the holders of the famous old urn but won it in England.
Kevin Pietersen punishes Australia with splendid double century as England pile on the pressure in Adelaide
From JOHN ETHERIDGE in Adelaide
The Sun
5th December 2010
The Ashes 2010/11
Day Three of the Second Test (of five Tests)
1st Innings
Australia: 245
England: 551-4
England lead by 306
Australia: Katich, Watson, Ponting (C), Clarke, Hussey, North, Haddin (W), Doherty, Siddle, Harris, Bollinger
England: Strauss (C), Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell, Prior (W), Broad, Swann, Anderson, Finn
(The 5-match series remains 0-0 after First Test finished as a draw)
Dates of the three remaining matches:
3rd Test (Perth) - December 16th-20th
4th Test (Melbourne) - December 26th-30th
5th Test (Sydney) - January 3rd-7th
STUNNING ... Kevin Pietersen's double century put the Aussies to the sword
SECOND TEST, DAY THREE SCORECARD
ENGLAND - First innings continued
Strauss b Bollinger 1
Cook c Haddin b Harris 148
Trott c Clarke b Harris 78
Pietersen not out 213
Fall: 3, 176, 351, 452
To bat: M Prior, S Broad, G Swann, J Anderson, S Finn.
Bowling: Harris 19-5-84-2, Bollinger 27-1-121-1, Siddle 26-3-100-0, Watson 19-7-44-1, Doherty 24-3-120-0, North 18-0-62-0
Looks more like England: the Adelaide Oval provides an ideal backdrop for England's performance
KEVIN PIETERSEN plundered a brilliant 213 not out as England's incredible run-scoring feats continued in the Second Test.
KP's innings was his first century for England since he scored one against West Indies in March 2009 and only his second in any form of cricket since then.
He went on to his second Test double century with a dominating display that ripped the final shreds of morale from Australia's bowlers and fielders.
With England finishing day three with 551-4, it means their aggregate total in their last two innings stands at a mind-boggling 1068-5.
The innings currently contains four successive century partnerships — which is another England record.
Australia were finally able to dismiss Alastair Cook for 148 but not before he extended his period without being dismissed to 1,057 minutes — beating the previous England best of 1,021 minutes by Nasser Hussain.
In the runs: Pietersen and Ian Bell keep the scoreboard ticking over
The home team's only relief came from the rain — which wiped out the final session and left Ricky Ponting's team thinking that they can escape with a draw.
Pietersen dominated proceedings and batted with the power, timing and craft that he displays when at his best.
Resuming on 85 not out, he soon reached three figures and marked the moment with a loud yelp of delight that could be clearly heard on the stump microphone.
Merciless: KP smashes the Aussies for more runs as England once again grind the Aussies into the dirt
You beauty! England fans - the Barmy Army - raise to their feet as their hero Pietersen reaches his century
Reluctant applause: Australia's Simon Katich slaps his fingers against his palm as Pietersen celebrates his double century
KP's driving down the ground was thunderous and his trademark shot — the power-flick through mid-wicket — was in full working order.
It came as something of a shock when Cook was caught behind via the inside edge. He has so far racked up an extraordinary 450 runs in the series in three innings.
Paul Collingwood joined Pietersen is another frisky partnership that was soon extending England's lead further.
They rattled along at almost five-an-over until Shane Watson got a ball to nip back and trapped Collingwood plumb lbw on the back foot.
Even though the temperature was not as ferociously-hot as on day two, the Aussies were still struggling to maintain their effort.
The pace of Doug Bollinger, for example, tailed off worryingly towards the end of each of his spells. His skipper Ricky Ponting admitted that Doug the Rug (he wears a wig) hit the wall.
All over: Ryan Harris celebrates as Alastair Cook walks off, caught behind on 148
Ian Bell was the last to aid Pietersen as they continued the destruction of Australia's attack.
Classy and cultured, Bell played some of the game's most exquisite shots in his 41 not out, with one cover drive and another square cut particularly memorable.
Pietersen reached 200 with a quick single and then ran a further 30 yards beyond the stumps to celebrate.
He knelt down, punched the air and milked the applause from the Barmy Army battalions situated on the grass hill beneath the historic old scoreboard at the Adelaide Oval
By tea, England's lead was 306 but they could not extend it further because of the rain.
Stretching it out: Michael Clarke exercises his back in between Pietersen boundaries
Well done: Aussie captain Ricky Ponting shakes Pietersen's hand for posting his double hundred
Although Andrew Strauss and his players were frustrated by the interruption, they will take heart from the knowledge that the pitch is beginning to play the odd trick.
There is plenty of rough on both sides of the pitch caused by bowlers' footmarks.
If Xavier Doherty and Marcus North were able to get the ball to turn sharply — which they did at times — imagine what sort of carnage Graeme Swann might be able to create.
One thing is for sure — the surface will not get any better. England remain confident of turning their domination of this match into a 1-0 lead in the series.
thesun.co.uk
Just before the match, Australia won the toss and decided to put themselves into bat, but what a costly mistake that turned out to be. England's mighty bowlers were absolutely devastating, with Steven Finn, playing in his first Ashes series, taking 4-51. The England bowlers' heroics scuttled the Aussies out for a paltry 245.
In reply, England's batsmen have been as equally devastating as their bowlers. They started off badly, with captain Andrew Strauss being bowled by Bollinger for just 1, but Pietersen's 213 not out and Alistair Cook's 148 have helped England end today's play on 551-4 and a first innings lead of 306.
England were 317-2 overnight which means that, amazingly, England lost just two wickets in the whole of today's play (which lasted approximately seven hours instead of the normal eight hours due to rain stopping play early) - the wickets of Cook (148 ) and Collingwood (42).
And free-scoring England's aggregate total in their last two innings including this one in this Ashes series - 551-4 and, in the second innings of the last match, 517-1 dec - stands at a mind-boggling 1068-5.
Cook had gone 1,057 minutes without being dismissed — beating the previous England best of 1,021 minutes by former captain Nasser Hussain.
All this further reinforces the view of many that England's have overtaken Australia as the best team on the planet.
England will start tomorrow's play still batting - and still with Kevin Pietersen in - and they'll be looking to pile on another 100 to 150 runs in the first few hours of tomorrow's play before declaring (unless they are finally bowled out) to give the Aussies needing a commanding 400 to 450 for victory.
Thanks to Pietersen's heroic double century, England are now odds-on to take a 1-0 lead in the five match Series and take a step towards winning the Ashes in Australia for the first time since 1987. England are the holders of the famous old urn but won it in England.
Kevin Pietersen punishes Australia with splendid double century as England pile on the pressure in Adelaide
From JOHN ETHERIDGE in Adelaide
The Sun
5th December 2010
The Ashes 2010/11
Day Three of the Second Test (of five Tests)
1st Innings
Australia: 245
England: 551-4
England lead by 306
Australia: Katich, Watson, Ponting (C), Clarke, Hussey, North, Haddin (W), Doherty, Siddle, Harris, Bollinger
England: Strauss (C), Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell, Prior (W), Broad, Swann, Anderson, Finn
(The 5-match series remains 0-0 after First Test finished as a draw)
Dates of the three remaining matches:
3rd Test (Perth) - December 16th-20th
4th Test (Melbourne) - December 26th-30th
5th Test (Sydney) - January 3rd-7th
STUNNING ... Kevin Pietersen's double century put the Aussies to the sword
SECOND TEST, DAY THREE SCORECARD
Overnight: Australia 245, England 317-2
ENGLAND - First innings continued
Strauss b Bollinger 1
Cook c Haddin b Harris 148
Trott c Clarke b Harris 78
Pietersen not out 213
Collingwood lbw b Watson 42
Bell not out 41
Bell not out 41
Extras 8w 8b 12lb 28 Total (4 wickets 143 overs) 551
Fall: 3, 176, 351, 452
To bat: M Prior, S Broad, G Swann, J Anderson, S Finn.
Bowling: Harris 19-5-84-2, Bollinger 27-1-121-1, Siddle 26-3-100-0, Watson 19-7-44-1, Doherty 24-3-120-0, North 18-0-62-0
Looks more like England: the Adelaide Oval provides an ideal backdrop for England's performance
KEVIN PIETERSEN plundered a brilliant 213 not out as England's incredible run-scoring feats continued in the Second Test.
KP's innings was his first century for England since he scored one against West Indies in March 2009 and only his second in any form of cricket since then.
He went on to his second Test double century with a dominating display that ripped the final shreds of morale from Australia's bowlers and fielders.
With England finishing day three with 551-4, it means their aggregate total in their last two innings stands at a mind-boggling 1068-5.
The innings currently contains four successive century partnerships — which is another England record.
Australia were finally able to dismiss Alastair Cook for 148 but not before he extended his period without being dismissed to 1,057 minutes — beating the previous England best of 1,021 minutes by Nasser Hussain.
In the runs: Pietersen and Ian Bell keep the scoreboard ticking over
The home team's only relief came from the rain — which wiped out the final session and left Ricky Ponting's team thinking that they can escape with a draw.
Pietersen dominated proceedings and batted with the power, timing and craft that he displays when at his best.
Resuming on 85 not out, he soon reached three figures and marked the moment with a loud yelp of delight that could be clearly heard on the stump microphone.
Merciless: KP smashes the Aussies for more runs as England once again grind the Aussies into the dirt
You beauty! England fans - the Barmy Army - raise to their feet as their hero Pietersen reaches his century
Reluctant applause: Australia's Simon Katich slaps his fingers against his palm as Pietersen celebrates his double century
KP's driving down the ground was thunderous and his trademark shot — the power-flick through mid-wicket — was in full working order.
It came as something of a shock when Cook was caught behind via the inside edge. He has so far racked up an extraordinary 450 runs in the series in three innings.
Paul Collingwood joined Pietersen is another frisky partnership that was soon extending England's lead further.
They rattled along at almost five-an-over until Shane Watson got a ball to nip back and trapped Collingwood plumb lbw on the back foot.
Even though the temperature was not as ferociously-hot as on day two, the Aussies were still struggling to maintain their effort.
The pace of Doug Bollinger, for example, tailed off worryingly towards the end of each of his spells. His skipper Ricky Ponting admitted that Doug the Rug (he wears a wig) hit the wall.
All over: Ryan Harris celebrates as Alastair Cook walks off, caught behind on 148
Ian Bell was the last to aid Pietersen as they continued the destruction of Australia's attack.
Classy and cultured, Bell played some of the game's most exquisite shots in his 41 not out, with one cover drive and another square cut particularly memorable.
Pietersen reached 200 with a quick single and then ran a further 30 yards beyond the stumps to celebrate.
He knelt down, punched the air and milked the applause from the Barmy Army battalions situated on the grass hill beneath the historic old scoreboard at the Adelaide Oval
By tea, England's lead was 306 but they could not extend it further because of the rain.
Stretching it out: Michael Clarke exercises his back in between Pietersen boundaries
Well done: Aussie captain Ricky Ponting shakes Pietersen's hand for posting his double hundred
Although Andrew Strauss and his players were frustrated by the interruption, they will take heart from the knowledge that the pitch is beginning to play the odd trick.
There is plenty of rough on both sides of the pitch caused by bowlers' footmarks.
If Xavier Doherty and Marcus North were able to get the ball to turn sharply — which they did at times — imagine what sort of carnage Graeme Swann might be able to create.
One thing is for sure — the surface will not get any better. England remain confident of turning their domination of this match into a 1-0 lead in the series.
thesun.co.uk
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