http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 – Cricket News Update
England’s prolific all-rounder, Kevin Pietersen, has held criticism by the media in recent days as the driving force which helped him mould a splendidly fought innings of 85 runs, before losing his wicket on the third day of the third Test against Sri Lanka.
While talking to newsmen after the day’s play, KP said, “If I give you the ammunition [for criticism], you fire the gun. I must expect that. But what the criticism has done is made me play a lot better. I have worked that extra bit harder. It has paid off. If
someone had said 85 at the start of play, then I’d have taken it. The hundreds will come, and a lot of them hopefully. I’ve been working hard on three or four scoring areas.”
The struggling batsman had come under fire by the media in England, which saw him as a liability for the home side and many argued that perhaps it was finally time to drop the cricketer from the national squad.
Meanwhile, KP praised the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rose-c86842 Bowl wicket and stated that he was lucky to have had a chance to bat on a good wicket which supported the batsman.
Having won the first Test, and then ending the other in a draw, England cannot afford to lose this match if they want to prevent the series from being drawn. This was perhaps, what the English skipper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964, had told KP before he went into bat
under extremely difficult conditions as the game was being drenched by rain at regular intervals.
Batting is considerably difficult when the play gets interrupted again and again. The lack of concentration actually becomes the Achilles’ heel for the batsmen under such conditions. However, KP took the situation like a gladiator as he stood defiant against
the Sri Lankan bowling onslaught.
He along with opening batsman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alastair-Nathan-Cook-c42852, scored 106-runs for the third wicket partnership, which actually helped the side take an eleven run lead on the visitors with six wickets in hand.
While talking to newsmen, the 30-year-old Pietersen admitted that he was under tremendous pressure, but luckily was able to use the pressure to his advantage, which helped him in carving a commendable innings.
“It's an innings that I've been thinking about and needed at a time when there's been a lot of pressure on me, I've taken that pressure and used it as a positive,” he fancied.
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