A Rash Move Undoes Pietersen and England Again!

Sreelata YellamrazuFeb 5 2009

On a day when little seemed to go right for England, Kevin Pietersen stood out for his innings. And yet when good things start flowing from Pietersen, they seem to end in a disdainful bit of cricket sense.

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Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat in his official capacity as captain of the England team after the controversy surrounding former captain Kevin Pietersen reached a sordid conclusion. But little went right for England thereafter. Good bowling from the West Indies bowlers combined with over cast conditions where rain made brief interruptions meant that England were caught in a difficult position at the very start of the first Test in Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica.

Despite the fact that Xavier Marshall was responsible for the early dropped chance, England’s openers did not get off the blocks. Skipper Strauss and Alastair Cook were both dismissed for single digit figures as Jerome Taylor and Darren Powell drew them into false strokes. Pietersen shared a forty run partnership with Ian Bell for the third wicket before the latter departed to West Indian skipper Chris Gayle’s bowling. Paul Collingwood fell to spinner Suleiman Benn and England seemed precariously poised on four down for 94.

But the post tea session proved better for England as Pietersen and fit Andrew Flintoff established a partnership of strength. Pietersen stood firm, undeterred by the rest of England crumbling without a real hint of threat. Such was the authority with which he was batting being in the eighties did not stop him from taking on Benn. Two boundaries over the first two balls of the over were followed up by a mighty six over mid wicket to take Pietersen to ninety-seven.

But what was to come was almost predictable. After such boisterous batting, Pietersen was in a mood for more. However, only one of two outcomes were possible. Either he was smash his way to a century or it would go horribly wrong. The latter happened and Pietersen’s disgust at his own rush of blood was apparent in the manner he walked away even before the catch was taken. Another miscued attempt to loft the ball far and high only ended up in the West Indian fielders circling in like vultures as the wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin completed the catch, bringing England’ resurrection to a shocking end.

Just when it appeared Pietersen had redeemed himself in the aftermath of what transpired during the Moores- Pietersen saga, he will also have to take responsibility for perhaps taking England to the brink only to push it off the cliff. West Indies are in still in the game with England batting on 235 for five and Flintoff unbeaten on forty-three.

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