England fight back in third Ashes Test by Andy Jalil

---

Scorecard:	England v Australia
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2013

---

DateLine: 3rd August 2013

 

By Andy Jalil at Old Trafford.
In association with INVESTEC.

 

Andy Jalil at Old Trafford In association with INVESTEC © Pakistan Cricket Website

 

Manchester – Kevin Pietersen, with a magnificent innings of 113 led England’s fight back in the third Investec Test and in the process became England’s second highest scorer of Test centuries, behind Alastair Cook who has 25. In reaching his 23rd Test hundred from 165 balls, he went past three great England batsmen, Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Boycott. By close of play England, on 294 for seven, were trailing by 233 runs and needed a further 34 to avoid the follow-on.

 

Resuming on 52 for two on the third morning and trailing by a massive 475, England had added just 12 runs from nine overs when Australia struck with the wicket of Jonathan Trott. England’s most consistent batsman had watchfully added 3 to his overnight score from 22 balls when he edged a low catch to second slip. Alastair Cook went on to complete his 31st Test half century, a lovely cover drive for four had taken him to 48 before he pushed Ryan Harris for two to mid-off.

 

A stand of 46 between Cook and Pietersen had taken England to 110 for four when Brad Haddin brought off a magnificent catch behind the stumps to dismiss Cook for 62 in an innings spanning four hours. Cook had played a leg glance of Mitchell Starc and Haddin instinctively dived, covering ground where a wide leg slip would be positioned, to hold on to the ball right handed.

 

Still needing 218 to avoid the follow-on at that stage, England could do with a solid stand and that was provided by Pietersen and Ian Bell over a two-and-a-half-hour period when they added 115. During the partnership both reached their half centuries, Pietersen from 54 balls when he lifted Nathan Lyon for two sixes off consecutive balls as he went down the pitch to hit over long-on and then over mid-off.

 

Bell took 93 balls for his fifty, having clipped Starc for four he ran three to square leg for his 37th Test fifty. Earlier in his thirties he had played two delightful late cuts off Starc. The fifth wicket stand was ended shortly after tea when Bell on 60, was beaten by a ball from Ryan Harris that moved in a little. Pietersen by then had moved into the eighties with an edged four but there was nothing tentative about the flick to square leg, off Harris, that took him to 93.

 

He reached three figures with his tenth four, a firmly hit shot to cover, having faced 165 balls and featured in another fine stand of 52 with Jonny Bairstow before the latter was held at slip off Starc for 22. Pietersen’s brilliant innings ended three runs later. Having occupied the crease for five-and-a-quarter-hours he fell lbw to Starc and asked for a review which went against him.

 

England were 280 for seven at Pietersen’s dismissal, still needing 48 to avoid the follow-on. Matt Prior on 6 and Stuart Broad on 9, batted defensively for ten overs to stumps. Starc’s effort gave him three wickets for 75 and Harris had two for 50.

 

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2013 Andy Jalil)