http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Brian-Charles-Lara-c48471 – Cricket News Update
South Africa’s bowling coach, Allan Donald, on Saturday compared the prolific English batsman Kevin Pietersen to Caribbean legend Brian Lara, after KP led his side’s fight back against the Proteas with an exquisite century on the third day of the ongoing
second Test, at Leeds, Headingley, on Saturday.
"He played seriously well," said Donald at the post-day press conference. "It reminds me of when I ran into Brian Lara, something in the category of a bit of a genius to play knocks like that," he further added.
While chasing South Africa’s first innings total of 419, the hosts were reeling at 183 for 4 at tea, on Day 3, before Pietersen launched a savage assault sharing a 147-run stand with debutant http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Taylor-c66127 for the fifth wicket, with the bulk coming from the
former. The gangling right-hander was not out on 149 as England reached 351 for 5 at stumps.
The South Africans had been leading the match until the tea break, as the hosts struggled to 173 for 4, at a run rate less than three runs an over. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AN-Cook-c1026 (24), though managed to stay at crease for quite
a while, but failed to pace up the scoring rate, before falling to disciplined bowling from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn-led attack.
The match changed in the final session of the day, when Pietersen smashed 26 runs in 11 balls, off http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Morkel-c73528.
"Kevin's knock was something in the category of a genius," admitted Donald, the former South African fast bowling great.
"We wanted to rough him up, but he was aggressive, he kept on pulling off hook shots and pull shots. All due respect - Kevin Pietersen played a magnificent innings, and got England back into this Test match,” he added further.
Donald, however, urged his players to put Saturday’s disappointment behind them and make a fighting start to the day four, when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Prior-c1984 20].
Meanwhile, the tourists are sweating over the fitness of their skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GC-Smith-c1473, who limped off the field after injuring his left knee while fielding on the backward-point boundary towards the end of the day. Donald said that the left-hander will be
assessed overnight to determine the extent of the injury and chances of Smith’s further participation in the match.
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