Pietersen ton sets up tense final day
Sunday, 20, May 2007 08:54
A century from Kevin Pietersen helped England set West Indies an imposing total of 401 to win the first Test after day four at Lord's.
Pietersen smashed 109 as England declared on 284-8 with the Windies surviving the final two overs of the day to finish on 7-0.
With a 40 per cent chance of rain forecast for tomorrow and England being without Matthew Hoggard, the tourists will be favourites for snatching a draw.
In the morning session, some inspired bowling from Panesar saw England knock off the final three Windies wickets before lunch for 437.
The spinner trapped dangerman Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 74 after a bamboozling delivery.
Jerome Taylor made a cameo 21 off 19 balls before being dismissed by Steve Harmison to cap off an improved display by the Durham paceman.
Panesar trapped last man Corey Collymore to finish with 6-129 as the West Indies added 73 to their overnight total, thanks to an unbeaten 36 from Daren Powell.
With a lead of 116, England made a sluggish start in their bid to win the game by setting an imposing target.
Andrew Strauss hit 24 off 55 balls before nicking a delivery to Runako Morton off the bowling of Collymore.
Owais Shah failed to seize his chance again after gloving behind while on four to leave England on 35-2.
Alastair Cook followed up his century in the first innings by making 65 before edging to Dinesh Ramdin from another exquisite delivery by Collymore.
After a slow start Pietersen upped the ante when Collingwood came to the crease, with the pair putting on a stand of 102 runs.
Their first 50 runs came in just 37 balls, just 11 from Collingwood, as Pietersen smashed Collymore and Chris Gayle all over Lord's.
Pietersen hit four boundaries off one over from Collymore leading to a war of words between the big-hitter and Gayle.
After Ian Bell (3) and Collingwood (34) departed after poor shot selections, Pietersen raced towards his century with the second 50 coming off only 38 balls.
As Ramdin fumbled a chance to dismiss Pietersen when he was on 94, the 26-year-old reached his seventh Test ton off 121 balls.
Gayle had the last laugh after trapping Pietersen lbw when he was attempting an extravagant reverse hook shot but the pair buried the hatchett with a handshake as the South African-born batsman walked off.
England would have liked to reached 400 earlier to declare but lost a flurry of wickets.
Liam Plunkett made a duck while Matt Prior made a quickfire 21 off nine balls before Harmison and Panesar guided England towards their declaration target.
Harmison's entertaining opening over saw the paceman bowl two wides and ended with a vicious delivery that struck Gayle in the groin.
Gayle and opener Daren Ganga held their nerve in the final over of the day from Plunkett to leave them needing 394 to win with ten wickets in hand.
England will be wary of the fact that the Windies hold the record for the biggest Test chase after they passed 418 to beat Australia in 2003.