Pietersen and Panesar star as tourists turn the tables

Pietersen and Panesar star as tourists turn the tables

MUMBAI : England yesterday overcame their own lower-order batting collapse to close on a stirring victory on the third day of the second Test, with Kevin Pietersen and Monty Panesar, two players recalled from exile, leading the way.

Kevin Pietersen

The tourists began the day on 178-2, still 149 runs behind India's first-innings total, Pietersen and England skipper Alastair Cook continuing their partnership from the night before. Cook soon brought up his century by driving Harbhajan Singh for four before Pietersen, in a more aggressive mood, joined his captain on three figures by reverse-sweeping the same bowler two overs later.

In was a timely reminder of Pietersen's value to this England side _ his international career appeared in jeopardy before this tour when the 32-year-old was subject to disciplinary proceedures after being caught sending unflattering text messages about former captain Andrew Strauss to members of the South African team.

But now, back in the fold, Pietersen began to cash in, flaying the Indian bowlers on a turning pitch in their own conditions.

Even when Cook departed, caught behind off the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin for 122, Pietersen continued his assault to propel England past India's first-innings total.

Others tried to follow his lead but with little success. Jonny Bairstow and Samit Patel came and went, both falling to Pragyan Ohja. Pietersen, meanwhile, smashed the spinner for three crunching sixes, including two booming slog-sweeps into the stands.

Ohja, though, had the last laugh, eventually removing Pietersen for 186, caught behind after edging a drive, leaving England 382-6 with a lead of 55 runs.

The tourists might well have expected to build a lead in excess of 100 runs but Matt Prior managed to run himself out attempting a poorly timed single and a dramatic collapse followed.

Stuart Broad and James Anderson fell the next over to Harbhajan and Panesar survived only two balls before being caught at mid-wicket off Ashwin.

It left England with a lead of 86 runs, but the Cook might have been forgiven for being disaappointed, given they lost their last five wickets for 31 runs and their last four for just seven.

India began their second innings purposefully enough, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir pushing the score along to 23 for no loss.

From there, though, India's top order imploded, undone by spin in the way so many visitors to the sub-continent have been before.

Panesar found a thick edge and had Sehwag caught at gully before Graeme Swann found an inside edge to remove Cheteshwar Pujara the following over. Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar offered brief resistance but when Panesar trapped Tendulkar lbw, India were 53-3 and in trouble. That hole deepened further when Virat Kohli slapped Swann's rank full-toss straight to mid-on before Yuvraj Singh gloved Panesar to short leg to leave India five-down.

In the dying overs, India edged in front of the scoreboard but sunk further into the mire when Panesar has MS Dhoni caught at slip and Ashwin caught at cover to claim another five-wicket haul and his 10th wicket for the match.

At stumps, India were 117-7, staring down the barrel with a meagre lead of 31 runs with just three wickets in hand.

Should England seal victory today to level the series at 1-1, Panesar and Pietersen _ both on the outer for different reasons at various stages this year but heroes yesterday _ will be forgiven for cheering a little more loudly than their teammates.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT