Pietersen, Flintoff help England build healthy total

ENGLAND recovered from a pedestrian start to yesterday’s opening match of the NatWest Series with Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen propelling them to a competitive total against South Africa.

Having decided to bat first despite cloudy conditions at Headingley, England were aiming to continue the aggressive cricket which had been so successful under new captain Pietersen during the final Test at The Brit Oval.

But instead they were deprived of boundaries and looked on course for a modest target until Pietersen teamed up with Flintoff in a 158-run stand off only 129 balls and guided England to a competitive total of 275 for four.

Pietersen hit a brilliant 90 off 82 balls which included seven fours and a six. Flintoff claimed his first half-century in 22 one-day internationals since hitting an unbeaten 72 against New Zealand in Hobart over a year ago as he hit 78.

England’s early problems began with their fourth new opening partnership this year between Matt Prior and Ian Bell, who raced to 27 without loss after just five overs, but then seemed unable to build on that start.

Bell in particular resorted to nudging singles while Prior attempted to play a more aggressive role. Their partnership should have been broken in the 13th over when Prior, then on 23, chipped Andre Nel straight to Vernon Philander at mid-off only for him to drop the regulation chance.

So sluggish was England’s scoring rate that it was not a particularly costly mistake and they added only 31 in the next nine overs before Bell’s painstaking innings — without a boundary despite facing 69 balls — was ended when he drove Jacques Kallis to point.

Prior had at least tried to be more aggressive and looked on course to claim only his second one-day international half-century when he launched Kallis over long on for six, only to drive the next ball to AB de Villiers at point.

Owais Shah, promoted to a new role at number three by Pietersen, added just 12 before holing out into the deep attempting a slog sweep off spinner Johan Botha, but only after Philander juggled the ball to take the catch at the second opportunity.

But England were still not scoring boundaries even with Pietersen and Flintoff at the crease together, and until the Lancashire all-rounder drove Dale Steyn through the covers for four in the 35th over only Prior had hit a boundary in the whole innings.

That four was England’s first for 98 deliveries and came off Flintoff’s 20th ball, but Pietersen had to wait even longer for his first boundary — a pull for four off a full-toss from Botha from the 52nd ball of his innings.

Pietersen brought up his half-century off only 55 balls, but was lucky to survive a strong lbw appeal from Philander when he had progressed to 58.

Flintoff reached his milestone at an even quicker rate, from just 52 balls, but fell in the last over when he was bowled by Steyn for a superb 78 off only 70 balls.