Pietersen double ton leaves England on top
LONDON - Kevin Pietersen's commanding unbeaten double century left England well on top against India at the close of the second day of the first Test at Lord's on Friday.
India, at stumps, were 17 without loss in reply to England's 474 for eight declared built around Pietersen's 202 not out -- his second double century in seven Tests following his 227 against Australia in Adelaide in December and the third of his 75-match career.
Pietersen, watchful early on but upping the tempo so his final fifty took just 25 balls, batted for eight-and-a-quarter hours in total.
He faced 326 balls and hit a six and 21 fours.
As soon as Pietersen reached 200, England captain Andrew Strauss made an attacking declaration in what was the 2,000th Test and the 100th between the two sides.
However, Abhinav Mukund (eight not out), playing instead of the injured Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir (seven not out) survived until stumps.
Pietersen insisted he'd never had to work harder for a Test century and told reporters his innings was "something to be proud of".
He added: "They bowled well, the swinging conditions and being put in on a wicket that was seaming, it was real hard graft."
India were without attack leader Zaheer Khan all day because of the hamstring strain that had forced the left-arm paceman off the field on Thursday, having only gone into this match with four frontline bowlers.
But seamer Praveen Kumar, swinging the ball off a good length, responded with a Test-best five for 106 in 40.3 overs in what was only his fourth match at this level since a debut against the West Indies in Kingston last month.
By contrast both fast bowler Ishant Sharma and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh went wicketless while conceding more than 100 runs each.
Pietersen, who skippered Kumar at Indian Premier League side the Royal Challengers Bangalore, said: "I captained him for a year -- he never listened to me!
"I'm joking, he's just a fantastic skilled bowler and if there's one bowler in the Indian team who I would be very happy to get five wickets, it's PK."
England, who will replace India at the top of the Test rankings if they win this four-match series by two Tests, resumed Friday on 127 for two with Jonathan Trott on 58 not out and Pietersen 22 not out.
But Kumar was rewarded for his accuracy when Trott, aiming across the line, was lbw for 70.
Pietersen, on 49, almost fell into a well-set trap when he glanced Kumar towards Rahul Dravid in the rarely used position of leg-slip.
There was a surprise after lunch when India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni handed the Wicket Keeping duties to Dravid.
But Pietersen stood his ground and, after the umpires consulted inconclusive replays, he was reprieved.
So stretched were Dhoni's resources, he brought himself on to bowl medium-pace and thought he had Pietersen 'caught' behind by Dravid for 73.
Billy Bowden gave Pietersen out but the batsman called for a review, and with Hot Spot showing no edge, the New Zealand umpire reversed his verdict.
"I had to review that -- I can't get out to Dhoni!," said Pietersen. "He got the ball to swing both ways and nip, he's just a very talented man."
India took the new ball but it made little difference to the 31-year-old Pietersen as he completed a 216-ball Test hundred, his fourth against India and fifth at Lord's, when he on-drove Ishant in style for his 10th boundary.
But Kumar got Bell for 45 with a beauty that nipped off the seam to take the edge, Dhoni's low diving catch completing the dismissal.
That ended a a stand of 110 and 270 for four became 270 for five when the same combination dismissed Eoin Morgan for a duck.
Matt Prior added impetus with a brisk 71 before he was caught behind off Kumar to end a partnership of 120 with Pietersen.
And next ball the 24-year-old Kumar had Stuart Broad lbw to complete a maiden five-wicket Test haul before Graeme Swann avoided the hat-trick.
