KP ton hands Surrey tie

Pietersen back to form with one-day century at Hove

Last updated: 5th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

KP ton hands Surrey tie

Pietersen: Timely ton

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Kevin Pietersen made his first century in any format for 18 months as Surrey played out a thrilling Clydesdale Bank 40 tie with Sussex at Hove.

The England batsman, who is playing a four-match loan spell at Surrey after being dropped from the national one-day squad, made 116 out of his side's 240 all out.

He looked in little trouble at the crease despite the opposition fielding three players with Test experience, his 105-ball knock giving him a first domestic one-day ton for seven years.

Pietersen shared a second-wicket stand of 105 in 17 overs with Jason Roy although it was the youngster who played more aggressively, making a one-day best 60 off 49 balls with seven fours and a six before he was bowled by Monty Panesar.

Nobody in the Surrey side scored more than 18 and Pietersen had to watch a succession of wickets fall at the other end, one of which was his responsibility when Gary Wilson was run out after being called for a risky single.

Pietersen took 55 balls for his first 50 runs but just 46 for the next 50 and although he played well within himself there were moments when the confidence and class which seemed to have deserted him this summer returned.

He struck eight fours and six sixes, four of them off off-spinner Ollie Rayner, and after reaching his hundred with a single in the 37th over he twice cleared the rope in the next over off successive Kirtley deliveries, the first crunched with brutal power through extra cover followed by a straight hit down the ground.

But Kirtley (3-61), playing his final game before retiring after 16 years with Sussex, had his revenge when he yorked Pietersen with the next ball.

Matt Prior, like Pietersen surplus to requirements in England's one-day side, played aggressively until he mis-timed a drive and fell for 19, but acting captain Murray Goodwin and Chris Nash kept Sussex in touch.

Nash made 53 off 46 balls, his fifth half-century in the competition this season, and Goodwin 81 from 76 but it was Rayner who levelled the scores when he hit the last ball of the match from Tim Linley down the ground for four as Sussex finished on 240 for eight, with Rayner unbeaten on 35.