Cricket: Pietersen Purrs Again

Kevin Pietersen's first innings of the season yesterday yielded 98 off 73 deliveries, and with a jetlagged Shane Warne masterminding Hampshire's fightback with the ball, the C&G Trophy champions beat Essex by eight runs at the Rose Bowl.

At 12 for four Hampshire were in deep trouble. It would probably have been terminal if Pietersen's inside edge off Darren Gough had been held by James Foster when he had made just a single. But Gough immediately limped off with hamstring trouble, and Pietersen set about imposing himself. He had a stand of 117 with Michael Carberry and by the time he fell leg before to James Middlebrook, he had scored his runs out of 147 while he was at the crease.

Even then Essex looked in control at 180 for three, but Warne ran out Andy Flower for 49 and then, with the asking-rate climbing, he removed Middlebrook and Andre Adams in two balls with a stumping and a slider.