Kevin Pietersen broke new ground on Saturday with a maiden Test double hundred to help put England in sight of an innings victory and a 1-0 series lead against West Indies at Headingley.
His effort was impressively backed up by Ryan Sidebottom. Playing only his second Test, six years after a wicketless debut, the left-arm quick took six wickets in a day with West Indies, at stumps on the second day, needing 402 to make England bat again.
Pietersen’s 226 was the centrepiece of England’s 570 for seven declared.
Sidebottom then took four for 42 as the West Indies were bowled out for 146.
England captain Michael Vaughan, who had earlier marked his return to Test cricket after an injury-induced absence of 18 months with 103, had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on.
Sidebottom then struck twice more to leave the West Indies 22 for two in their second innings at stumps.
Pietersen’s was the highest individual Test innings by an England cricketer since Graham Gooch’s 333 against India at Lord’s 17 years ago. It also meant the 26-year-old batsman had at last got past his previous Test best of 158 — a score he had made three times.
”I was very happy to get past it,” said Pietersen, four of whose eight Test hundreds, from just 25 matches, are in excess of 150. ”It’s something I’ve been criticised for, not getting big scores. But it was there for me to build an innings. That’s what I concentrated on.”
Pietersen had a lucky break early in his innings when he was stumped off a no-ball on 20. But he insisted he hadn’t dwelt on his reprieve. ”I’m not scared of getting out; I don’t fear failure. Ever since then [the stumping] I didn’t give another chance. That made me happy.”
Pietersen’s hundred was also his second in as many innings after his 109 second-time-around in the drawn opener of a four-match series at Lord’s.
He attributed his form to a net session he had with new England coach Peter Moores that helped him readjust to Test cricket after the different demands of the World Cup.
”I did go and have a net session with him [Moores] after the first innings at Lord’s but that was off my own back. I knew I played a one-day little cameo of 26 in the first innings, which wasn’t good enough,” Pietersen explained. ”I wanted to face a bowling machine and leave and leave.
”In Test cricket you’ve got to learn to leave, and I played like a bit of a muppet in the first innings at Lord’s. It’s a patience game, Test cricket.”
Sidebottom has certainly had to show plenty of patience, having been in the England wilderness since making his debut against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2001.
”It has been a long time,” said Sidebottom, whose father, Arnie, played one Test for England in 1985. The 29-year-old, who left Headingley when he joined Nottinghamshire from Yorkshire three years ago, added: ”I’ve gone away, worked hard on my game, especially at Notts. The guys here have me feel really welcome and I’ve felt at home being at Headingley where I’ve played before. I’m just delighted.”
Sidebottom received good pace support in the West Indies’ first innings from Durham duo Liam Plunkett (three for 35) and Stephen Harmison (two for 55).
”Ryan shows what fast-bowling’s about, swinging it and digging a trench on a length,” said Pietersen. ”Plunkett was good and so was Harmison. It just shows when our trio of bowlers get the ball in the right areas .. we can bowl out any opposition.”
The West Indies — who came into this game without Shivnarine Chanderpaul, their senior batsman, because of a knee problem — then suffered a further blow when captain Ramnaresh Sarwan sustained a tour-threatening shoulder injury and was unable to bat in the first innings.
”With Shivvy out and Ronnie [Sarwan] out, it makes a very big hole in our batting,” said West Indies coach David Moore.
And the Australian added Sarwan was unlikely to bat in the second innings. ”He’s not in great shape and will bat only if absolutely necessary, whenever it might be, and then we’ll assess him at the end of the Test match.” — Sapa-AFP