KP’s tripple ton piles pressure on Strauss
london: Kevin Pietersen’s timing could not have been any better, and not just in terms of the way he was hitting the ball as he scored his highest first-class score, a maiden triple century, during Surrey’s County Championship match against leicestershire.
Having brought up the 50th first-class hundred before lunch, his first in first-class cricket since the Old Trafford Ashes Test in 2013, he posted his double century in the afternoon and passed his previous best of 254 in the evening session. He put on 101 with Chris Tremlett for the ninth-wicket and brought up a half-century partnership for the 10th wicket with Surrey’s No11, Matt Dunn, who contributed one run as Pietersen skilfully farmed the strike.
On Monday evening, he brought up his 300 with the 11th six of his innings, with an audacious reverse sweep, and finished the day on 326 not out. The unbroken 10th-wicket partnership stood at 110 at stumps, Dunn making five of them
Although leicestershire have had two poor seasons, to put Pietersen’s innings in context, Surrey’s next highest scorer was Kumar Sangakkara’s 36.
Could there be a more timely reminder only hours before Andrew Strauss is expected to decide on Pietersen’s international future with EnglandIJ
Strauss, the new England director of cricket, will hold his first press conference in his new role at lord’s tomorrow and is likely to announce conclusively whether Pietersen can play for England again.
When Colin Graves told the BBC, and subsequently reiterated to Telegraph Sport, that KP needed to play county cricket to be picked for England it prompted KP to put on hold his IPl contract with the Sunrisers Hyderabad to play for Surrey.
Having started the day 35 not out, he reached three figures in the final over before lunch with a late cut to third man and punched the air in celebration. DT
India climb two spots to fourth in Test rankings
Dubai: India on Monday gained four points and climbed two rungs in the ladder to rest at the fourth position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test team rankings as heavy defeats against England and Australia in 2011-12 no longer count. South Africa have extended their advantage over Australia from six points to 22 points at the top of the rankings following the annual update, according to an ICC release. The annual update has also seen a reshuffle in the middle of the pack and now just three rankings points separate third-ranked New Zealand from seventh-ranked Sri lanka. Prior to the annual update, the gap between the third and seventh ranked sides was seven points.
Sacking Moores was not knee-jerk: Graves
london: Incoming England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves on Monday defended the way national side head coach Peter Moores was relieved of his duties. Moores was sacked following a poor World Cup and a drawn Test series against the West Indies. The sacking was confirmed on Saturday but reportedly the news had emerged a day earlier. Andrew Strauss has been appointed as the new national director of cricket. “It seems it got leaked... but that was certainly not by the ECB,” Graves was quoted as saying by bbc.com. “Tom Harrison (the ECB chief executive) was there on Friday and it was handled properly. It was sorted out straightaway and certainly Peter Moores was as comfortable as he could be in those circumstances,” he said. “It’s Andrew Strauss who takes that call as he builds his team around him. We’ll not rush into any decision overnight,” Graves said referring to building a new team around Strauss. “The Peter Moores decision was not a knee-jerk one and this will not be either,” he said. Assistant coach Paul Farbrace will manage the outfit for the two-Test series against New Zealand, which starts at lord’s on May 21, with Yorkshire head coach Jason Gillespie the favourite to replace Moores on a permanent basis.
Root should be England captain: Botham
london: Former all-rounder Ian Botham says it is time to drop Alastair Cook as England captain and replace him with Joe Root adding that ex-Australia pacer Jason Gillespie would be the perfect candidate for the post of England coach. “The shake-up that the England cricket team has long needed is underway and the selection of Jason Gillespie as coach would be a perfect fit. But he should not be the only new appointment in the dressing room, he should be taking charge alongside Joe Root,” Botham was quoted as saying by skysports.com on Monday. The 59-year-old, who has 383 wickets and 14 centuries to his name in Test cricket, added that it is time for Cook to take up responsibility of the mistakes he committed over the last few months. “It is time for Alastair Cook to move aside and take some of the responsibility for the mistakes that have been made over the last 18 months. He has seen off almost all the coaches and management from the debacle Down Under (2013-14 Ashes whitewash), he has seen (former director) Paul Downton come and go and now Peter Moores, yet he is still captain. How does that work,” he asked.
Aamir’s first competitive match in 5 years
Karachi: Banned Pakistan left-arm pacer Muhammad Aamir on Monday played his first proper competitive match in five years when he appeared in the national T20 super eights tournament at Faisalabad. Aamir, whose spot fixing ban ends in September that will make him eligible to play for Pakistan again, picked up two wickets for 15 runs in 2.1 overs while playing for the Rawalpindi Rams against Abbotabad Falcons. Aamir, 22, played in the Patrons Trophy Grade-2 competition for a private team in March-April but it was a non-first class tournament. Aamir suffered a hamstring injury during the final of the tournament in which he took 22 wickets in four games. The International Cricket Council has given Aamir special permission to resume playing domestic cricket before his five year ban ends later this year. “It was a terrific feeling playing in a big tournament after so many years,” Aamir told reporters.
Ramanayake replaces Vaas as Sl bowling coach
Colombo: Champaka Ramanayake has replaced Chaminda Vaas as Sri lanka’s fast bowling coach, Sri lanka Cricket announced on Monday. Vaas left his position last month at the end of his contract. He was said to be having a rough relationship with head coach and former team-mate Marvan Atapattu. Ramanayake will be in charge for the next three international home series against Pakistan, India and the West Indies. Ramanayake, a former fast bowler, played 18 Tests between 1988 and 1993.