Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen hits best-ever score
Monday 11 May 2015 23:47, UK
Kevin Pietersen blasted a perfectly-timed record first-class score of 326 not out to heap pressure on England's selectors to end his 15-month Test exile.
The 34-year-old surpassed his previous County Championship best of 254 in a mammoth innings for Surrey against Leicestershire at The Oval, on the eve of Andrew Strauss' first public address as England's new cricket director.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "It's probably one of the best innings I've ever played. Not just because of the numbers but because of how important the timing is in what's happening with English cricket at the moment.
"I've always said I've a burning desire to play for England again and I know there's been a lot of change over the weekend. I'm desperate to play for England again, I want to play for England again and I want to play for England again soon."
Pietersen struck his first County Championship double century since July 2012 - then set a new personal first-class record, beating that 254 not out for Nottinghamshire against Middlesex in August 2002.
The free-scoring star ended the second day of this Division Two match with a maiden triple century, unbeaten on 326 with 34 fours and 14 sixes from 373 balls.
Surrey closed day two on 528-9, leading Leicestershire by 236 runs.
England will on Thursday finalise their squad to face New Zealand at Lord's in the first Investec Test next week, with Pietersen's near-imperious knock at The Oval forcing Strauss to review the South Africa-born outcast's position.
Pietersen started day two at The Oval on 35, and quickly set about turning that promising start into an innings of real substance.
The 104-Test showman secured his first championship century since June 2013, and 50th overall, in the final over before lunch, before marching on confidently after the intermission.
Surrey resumed their first innings on 105-2 at the top of the day, only to lose Kumar Sangakkara (36), Steven Davies (six) and Jason Roy (27) before lunch.
While Pietersen stood imperious, wickets continued to fall around him. Gary Wilson (18), Gareth Batty (15) and Tom Curran (18) came and went as the hosts outstripped Leicester's first-innings total of 292.
Chris Tremlett (30) and Matt Dunn (5no) were effectively silent partners in Pietersen's mammoth score before stumps.
Pietersen was sacked by England in February 2014 after the Ashes series whitewash in Australia, but managing director Paul Downton's departure has kick-started a chain of events that could yield an unlikely recall.
England's off-field unrest has rumbled on unabated, with coach Peter Moores sacked last week and Strauss installed to oversee another overhaul.
Moores' assistant Paul Farbrace will take control for the two-Test series against New Zealand, with Strauss leading the search for a permanent coach.
Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie is the early favourite to take the England helm for the summer's Ashes series, but Pietersen continues to force his way into the limelight.
Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves hinted Pietersen's situation could be reviewed before the start of the county season, and the 34-year-old is now making good on his promise to plunder big scores after returning to Surrey.
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