Kevin Pietersen hit his career’s first triple century, playing for Surrey on Monday, to offer a reminder of his talents ahead of new England cricket director Andrew Strauss’ first news conference.
Pietersen, sacked by England last year but desperate for a recall, brought up his 300 with his 11th six against Leicestershire.
This, after he started the day on an overnight score of 35 not out, to reach his first County Championship century since June 2013 right before lunch. After that, there was hardly any stopping the 34-year-old as he continues to prove his intent of making an England comeback.
In fact, earlier this summer, after the incoming ECB boss hinted that Pietersen may be allowed to finally play for England again, the all-rounder pulled out of the eighth season of the IPL, despite being sold at the auction in February this year.
Strauss in Pietersen’s Way?
Strauss’s first job is to appoint a new England coach following the dismissal of Peter Moores with the first Ashes test against Australia starting on July 8.
Pietersen, 34, may have been encouraged by the departure of Moores, with whom he had a fractious relationship the resulted in the latter being fired as the coach of England in 2009 after a fall-out with then captain Pietersen.
England’s new cricket director Andres Strauss, who will face the media at Lord’s on Tuesday, has also had problems with the controversial right-hander.
Pietersen was dropped after sending text messages about then-England skipper Strauss to South Africa players during a test series in 2012.
Last year Strauss had to apologise after using an offensive term to describe Pietersen while working as a television commentator. He had not been aware his comments could be heard live on air.
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