An elegant innings of 181* from Ian Bell coupled with a blistering innings of 175 from Kevin Pietersen, demolished Indian bowling attack as the pair put on third wicket stand of 350 to amass 457 for 3 on day two of the fourth test at Kennington Oval, London.
England resumed the day on 75/0 and got off to a bad start as they lost Alastair Cook in the first over of the day, caught at first slip off Ishant Sharma. Bell scored the first boundary of the day guiding RP Singh between second slip and gully. Strauss and Bell added 22 for the second wicket before Sreesanth got the breakthrough in the 38th over, having Strauss caught behind off a loose shot outside off stump. Bell and Pietersen batted cautiously to take the score to 126 for 2 at lunch. Ishant Sharma bowled an excellent first spell of 6-3-7-1. Pietersen, who was playing most of his shots across the line, close shave when he hit one to Raina at leg slip, the ball didn't quite carry and Raina wasn't sure whether he had taken the catch cleanly. The replays showed the ball had touched the ground before landing in the Raina's hands and Pietersen was given not out.
After Lunch, Pietersen took on Mishra, hitting him for two boundaries in one over, through long on. Bell followed suite with two boundaries in one over off Sreesanth, through fine leg and deep square leg. Bell was particularly aggressive on Sreesanth, mauling him for three boundaries in an over and bringing up his half-century from 111 balls. Kevin Pietersen then brought up his half-century off just 62 deliveries with a single through fine leg. RP Singn, who looked completely short of match practice, managed to get Pietersen's edge in the 71st over, but unluckily it fell short of first slip. Bell brought up his second century of the series with a forcing boundary through point. The pair added 170 runs in the second session as the home side went into tea on 296 for 2 with Pietersen two runs short of a century.
Pietersen brought up his century with a boundary through midwicket off the first ball after tea. He luckily survived another dropped chance off the next delivery as Gambhir dropped him at mid on off Sharma. Mishra was taken to the cleaners by Pietersen as the latter hit him for three boundaries, scoring 15 runs from the 106th over. Both batsmen brought up their 150's shortly and Bell had Mishra hopping in the 116th over when he clobbered him for consecutive sixes over mid on. Raina finally broke the 350-run partnership when he dismissed Pietersen by having him caught off his own bowling for 175. Pietersen's 232-ball innings included 27 hits to the fence. Anderson, who was sent in as night watchman survived the last six overs along with Bell as England ended the day on 457/3. Bell remained unbeaten on 181, while Anderson was unbeaten on 3. The partnership of 350 between Bell and Pietersen was England's second highest third-wicket stand and Pietersen, with 19 centuries, stands joint-sixth on the list of England batsmen with the most Test hundreds.
At stumps on day 2: England 1st inns: 457/3
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