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. Pietersen’s 226 was the centrepiece of England’s 570 for seven declared. His effort was impressively backed up by Ryan Sidebottom.
England’s pace bowlers will be given another chance to prove they can function without Freddie after all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was ruled out of the second Test against the West Indies starting at Headingley on Friday. Officials decided against bringing paceman Flintoff back for the second match of a four-Test series after he missed the drawn series opener at Lord’s.
England’s new coach Peter Moores tried to play down the prospect of South Africa pace great Allan Donald joining his backroom staff after seeing the home side’s fast bowlers struggle during the drawn first Test against West Indies at Lord’s. England’s quicks struggled to make much of an impression against a West Indies side ranked a lowly eighth in the world Test rankings.
England and West Indies drew the first Test at Lord’s on Monday as the weather had the final say in the opening encounter of a four-match series. West Indies finished the fifth day on 89 without loss, 312 runs short of their victory target of 401, but having comfortably avoided any prospect of defeat during a last day where rain and bad light meant only 20 overs were bowled.
Kevin Pietersen’s dashing 109 put England in a position to win the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s. At the close of Sunday’s fourth day, the tourists were seven without loss in their second innings, needing a further 394 on Monday’s final day to reach their victory target of 401.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin ensured West Indies avoided the follow-on against England in the first Test at Lord’s on Saturday. But just when it looked the pair would both reach the close unbeaten, wicket-keeper Ramdin was caught by a diving Paul Collingwood at third slip off Durham teammate Liam Plunkett for 60.
Matt Prior became the first England wicket-keeper to score a century on Test debut as the hosts piled up 553-5 on the second day of the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s on Friday. Prior (25) was one of four England centurions in the innings with Alastair Cook (105), Paul Collingwood (111) and Ian Bell (109 not out) also reaching three figures.
Alastair Cook’s fifth Test hundred in 15 matches was the cornerstone of England’s 200-3 against West Indies at Lord’s on Thursday. Cook was 102 not out when bad light ended play on the first day of the first Test of a four-match series. He’d been in for over four hours after England lost the toss in bowler-friendly conditions.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has backed Australia’s decision to call off its tour of Zimbabwe and said the struggling African nation should be ”permanently suspended” from international cricket because of its poor playing standards. The Australia government has banned the country’s cricket team from travelling to Zimbabwe.
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International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed apologised on Sunday for the ”very sad way” the World Cup Final finished amid farcical scenes. Players and spectators at the Kensington Oval, not to mention millions of television viewers, were left baffled by the climax to Saturday’s match, which saw Australia celebrate victory twice.