A BIG dent was put in Yorkshire’s hopes of increasing their lead at the top of the County Championship Division One table.
Kevin Pietersen’s unbeaten 177 for Surrey against the Tykes at Headingley turned the contest around – Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale’s century having put the home side in the ascendancy on the first day.
Surrey were struggling on 62-3 when Pietersen walked to the crease requiring a further 222 to avoid the follow-on, but Pietersen quickly assumed the leading role in guiding them to safety.
Rain and a damp ground prevented any play until midday on the third day and 16 minutes later Pietersen was on his way to the middle after Tim Linley had fallen in the first over from Ryan Sidebottom and Vikram Solanki (four) had gone to a stinging catch at mid-on by Andrew Gale.
As usual, Pietersen was eager to get off the mark and his heart must have been in his mouth as he pushed his first delivery from Jack Brooks towards point and set off for a quick single. Adil Rashid pounced on the ball and had his throw hit the stumps at the bowler’s end, Pietersen may have been struggling to make his ground.
Surrey were 90-4 at lunch with Pietersen on 15 and Zander de Bruyn four, and Pietersen increased the tempo after the interval.
Pietersen cover drove Liam Plunkett for four to move into the 20s and forced Sidebottom to the mid-wicket boundary before clearing the rope with a sweetly driven straight six at Rashid’s expense.
A back-foot drive for four off Brooks took Pietersen to 48 and he whipped the fast bowler square on the legside to complete his 50 off 71 balls with four fours and a six.
There was some compensation for the bowler when he ended the 97-run stand – de Bruyn mis-hitting high to mid-wicket where substitute fielder James Wainman waited patiently for the ball to land in his hands.
Yorkshire hopes of a further breakthrough were quickly dashed as Steven Davies joined Pietersen in a 118-run stand in 22 overs for the sixth wicket.
Pietersen was again severe on Rashid who almost gained his revenge when the England man was on 78 and gave a fierce low return catch which the bowler could not quite hold on to.
After Pietersen had pushed his side to safety Solanki called a halt at 353-7 Yorkshire were left with 21 overs to bat until the close and Lyth and Alex Lees made progress until the 16th over when Lees offered no stroke to Gary Keedy and was lbw, the home side closing on 52-1.
