Pietersen smashes ton in India tour match

Kevin Pietersen smashed an aggressive century yesterday as England showed off their batting prowess ahead of next week’s Test series against India. Pietersen hit 110 off 94 balls as the tourists feasted on Haryana’s weak bowling attack to pile up a massive 408-3 on the opening day of the four-day match in Ahmedabad. The South African-born star warmed up for the first Test in the same city from November 15 with 16 boundaries and three sixes before retiring to give other players an outing at the crease. Pietersen was a last-minute addition to the tour squad after making peace with the England management over a text message row that forced his exile from the team in August. Skipper Alastair Cook followed his 119 in the tour opener in Mumbai with 97, putting on 166 for the first wicket with Nick Compton. Compton, grandson of former England batsman Denis Compton, almost certainly ensured himself a Test debut in Ahmedabad with a bright knock of 74 that was studded with nine fours and a six. Watching Compton the qualities for which he had been chosen, and earmarked as the prime candidate to succeed Strauss, were evident. His twin failures on the tour to date had, perversely, told little beyond that even the best players can be dismissed before they have adjusted to the conditions at the crease.  What England wanted from him was above all confirmation of what they believed they had bought into, and over the course of four hours he gave it. He was determinedly disciplined with anything off line, played forward when he could as clearly he likes to do but has a solid backfoot game that sees the ball played late under his eyes, looked unflappable and absolutely certain in his mind that what he was doing in his own time, in his own way, was precisely what England wanted to see. Ian Bell chipped in with an unbeaten 57 to end a profitable day for the tourists, who are aiming to win their first Test series in India since 1985. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, the only international in Haryana’s team, finished with two for 50 from 11 overs. England took the field without injured pace bowlers Stuart Broad and Steven Finn, and frontline spinner Graeme Swann, who flew home on Wednesday to attend to his sick baby daughter. Finn suffered a thigh strain in the tour opener and Broad bruised his left heel in the second practice match, but scans did not reveal any serious injury for either player. Both Swann and Broad are expected to feature in the first Test, but Finn remains a doubtful starter. Paceman Stuart Meaker, who was flown in as a precautionary stand-by, was picked for the Haryana game alongside seamers Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan.