KEVIN PIETERSEN fell three runs short of a century as England struggled at Sabina Park yesterday. Pietersen, who relinquished the captaincy last month, was attempting to bring up a 16th Test hundred in style when he perished to left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn. But the 28-year-old’s 172-ball effort stood out during a laboured start to the four-match series by Andrew Strauss’ team.
West Indies adapted to the conditions expertly after losing the toss, and captain Chris Gayle joined Benn in sending down 25 consecutive overs of spin either side of lunch. That spell suffocated England’s scoring rate further after three morning wickets dictated the need for consolidation – they closed on 236 for five.
Ironically Pietersen had just invigorated things in spectacular fashion to get to the verge of three figures, hitting two fours and then a huge six in consecutive balls. But an attempt at a fourth big shot denied him ultimate glory as he hauled the ball high. Pietersen did not wait for confirmation of his fate before wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin completed the catch.
He had dominated a stand of 86 for the fifth wicket with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, whose share was a meagre 17, and ensured the tourists did not grind to a halt. Flintoff remained steadfast, however, after passing a fitness test, to finish unbeaten on 43. There was even another injury scare to overcome after Jerome Taylor thudded a bouncer into his right elbow.
England were bogged down by Benn immediately, scoring at less than two runs per over from his introduction shortly after morning drinks; he finished a marathon spell with figures of 33-10-64-2.
Previous to his prize scalp of Pietersen, in his 27th over of the day, he accounted for Paul Collingwood via a leg-before decision.
Gayle came perilously close to removing Pietersen in his next over, the 34th of the innings, but a top-edged sweep spiralled into no-man’s land between square leg and long leg. Pietersen celebrated his latest 50 for England shortly before the second break with two boundaries in one Daren Powell over. Earlier, Strauss fell cheaply when he failed to take advantage of an early life.
He was followed by opening partner Alastair Cook, who miscued a pull, and Ian Bell, who succumbed minutes before lunch. Strauss nibbled at a delivery from Taylor, outside off stump, and was held low down by wicketkeeper Ramdin in the fifth over. Then Cook’s poor shot off Powell gifted the West Indies a second success.
Number three Bell appeared full of confidence as he located the gaps expertly and raced to 14 off his first nine balls. But Pietersen’s arrival at the crease triggered a change in Bell’s tempo – he withdrew to the role of anchor and any momentum he had built was lost.
Stuck in a rut on the eve of lunch, Bell’s misjudgment of off-spinner Gayle’s arm ball resulted in an edge to slip, which was snaffled low down by Devon Smith. Flintoff rode his luck initially to get through to the close.
