Pietersen double outshine Praveen's five

India 17 for 0 follow England 474 for 8 decl. (Pietersen 202*, Prior 71, Praveen 5-106) by 457 runs

Kevin Pietersen describe his innings as a "mission" after his 202 not out put the hosts in a talented position after the second day.

Pietersen survive a few scares en route to his 18th Test century, and once he passed the 200 mark captain Andrew Strauss affirmed, with England on 474 for eight and India's openers batted from side to side to the close on 17 without loss.

Pietersen told Sky Sports: "It was quite nice from 150 to 200, but to get there was an undertaking. It was just great to bat with the other lads. I found it quite hard and a couple of the other boys came in and scored quickly and that took the force off me.

"It is always nice to get the team into a position where we can optimistically do something in this Test match. I haven't had the best couple of years, I had a pretty good winter but there are a lot of players in that dressing room that are doing really well."

Praveen Kumar took his first international five-for as he replace the wounded Zaheer Khan as the tourists' forefront seamer, removing both Eoin Morgan and Stuart Broad for ducks and Pietersen could have been out early on when he was caught by Rahul Dravid.

Umpire Billy Bowden gave the 31-year-old out, but the television official upturned the decision and Pietersen was happy with the result and the position the team now find themselves in.

"He (Dravid) thought it was out and you have to use the technology - there was a really good impression out there," he said.

"We are in a real good position here to do something in this Test match. I wouldn't say pressure, but you always have to score runs.

"No one ever takes anything for granted and this is a huge series and a huge, huge Test match and those are games that I love and the things that I thrive on."

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Praveen Kumar relish Lord's dream

Praveen Kumar was a happy man after claim five wickets against England on the second day of the first Test at Lord's.

Asked to plug the gap twisted by the absence of hurt seamer Zaheer Khan, the inspiring Praveen took 5 for 106 to share Friday's attention with England's Kevin Pietersen who recorded an unbeaten 202.

"It's a dream to get five wickets at Lord's. It is very special," he told The Times of India.

"The weather was nice and it felt really nice to get the five wickets. After taking four I was very sure of getting the fifth."

"I didn't mind bowling that many overs since I do bowl 30-35 overs in domestic cricket. In Zaheer's absence, I had to shoulder that liability.

With little support from his fellow bowlers, Praveen, who only made his Test debut for India on their recent tour of the West Indies, accounted for Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad to ensure a marked turnaround in fortunes from Thursday when he finished wicketless.

"I bowled the same as I had on the first day. But since it was an older ball, I did try to put in extra effort."

Praveen's heroics come after he miss the ICC Cricket World Cup due to injury, not that the 24-year-old

"If you lose anywhere, God makes it up in some other way," he said.

"I can only work hard and play cricket. I missed the World Cup due to injury but this might have happened with any athlete," Praveen finished.

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Dhoni has made a ridicule of Test cricket by bowling himself: Kapil

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s choice to bowl his seam-up stuff throughout the second day came under severe disapproval from former India captain Kapil Dev, who feels that the existing skipper made a mockery of Test cricket. “Dhoni has made contempt of Test cricket by bowling (himself). This is not acceptable on the second day of a Test match, you can’t do this,” Kapil told a television channel.

Kapil was also serious of Zaheer Khan, who didn’t bowl after suffering from constrain injury. “Zaheer is himself accountable for it. He has put the team in problem. He should have known and tested his fitness levels before recurring to Test cricket,” he said. “It’s really tough to bowl 20 overs a day. He has killed the option of India winning this Test,” Kapil added.
Panesar defend net meeting with Tendulkar

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Indian batting resolve be there tested

Indian cricket has come a long way. Certainly the rush of the last few summers has caused a few headaches but cricket is lucky to have India as its driving force. Amongst major playing nations, only Sri Lanka has better half as much.

However, India has cause to worry about its prospects. Over the next few months the quality of Indian batsman ship will be examine and the new making needs to prove it can counter lifting deliveries as capably as their elders.

India's rise in the last 15 years has in no small part been due to the ability of senior batsmen to master back foot play. Now that go forward is in peril. Whereas the old guard of necessity learnt to play back, their successor can make millions by bashing away off the front peg.

India visits Australia this winter and within a few months group will know whether the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a breeding ground of brilliance or a promoter of charlatans. Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trot have risen on the back of old shaped technique and attitudes. Can the new Indians match them?

Lacking guts

Indian batting needs to keep its imagination. Not so long ago, and with few exceptions, Indian batsmen were incompetent against great pace and seam movement and were easily crushed by assorted English miners and antipodean roughnecks.

England once claims four Indians off the first 14 balls of a Test match. Forgetting about the Ghurkhas, and applying a caricature, observers finished that Indian batsmen lacked fortitude.

In fact many of those players lacked experience and sometimes leadership. As George Headley was obliged to play under useless West Indian pale skins so Indian teams were for an unconscionable period led by Maharajahs unburdened with cricketing knowledge or skill.

Not that the batting order was strong or knowledgeable sufficient to flourish in hostile conditions. Indian batsmen were raise on passive pitches. Expert against spin, they were found wanting next to cutters and rib ticklers.

Now they place up on fiery track in Perth and on damp decks in Leeds.
Of course, a strange generation of batsmen has emerge, one of the finest any country has produced. No nation can forecast such riches, let alone depend on it.

All a community can do is to organize itself so that talent is paying attention, recognized and knowledgeable. After that it's up to the player. Additionally the present seniors were lucky with their timing. Cricket has enter its second age of high scoring.

Helmets have summary the threat posed by fast bowlers, pitches have lost their spirit and, in India, faster tracks and more recurrent tours have forced the issue.

Scaling new heights

So Indian batting has scaled new heights. It is an impressive line-up. Sachin Tendulkar's 100th hundred for his country is eagerly awaited.

How easily that phrase “100th hundred” trips off the tongue, concealing a mind-boggling feat requiring unexpected skill and stamina!

Rahul Dravid is a remarkably durable and talented first drop. Alas! Virender Sehwag is upset, a serious loss to any team for he can control from the outset.

He is a master cast as a maverick. Still V.V.S. Laxman is approximately, continually fretting until the crisis comes.

Sourav Ganguly has reserved but Gautam Gambhir has risen, and formed a potent opening partnership.

What about their replacements? Is Indian batting in safe hands? Can the new group play off both feet?

Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and company have the capability, but are their education complete?

Can they build an innings? If not they will wither in the sun of separation, fall at the fence of high hope. Nothing lasts forever, not even Tendulkar, Laxman and Dravid.

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Michael Clarke pick out of Big Bash League

Michael Clarke, the Australia captain, will take no part in the Twenty20 Big Bash League this summer; prefer to focus on his international commitments.

Extensive discussions between Clarke, his organization and the Sydney Sixers were incapable to reach a workable cooperation between the batsman's desire for rest and training in between Test series and Cricket Australia's desire to have as many thin players as possible taking part in the BBL. Clarke had also conduct talks with numerous other teams.

"With the greatest respect to everybody concerned in the T20 Big Bash League, I will not be committing for this year," Clarke said in a statement. "My goal is to play Twenty20 cricket internally, for sure. But at the moment, I want to priorities my time and promise to my role with the Australian team.

"We have a big six months ahead, and my promise and focus is with those teams. I am also only available for one BBL game this year, and that was a thought as well."

Clarke's choice means both he and Mitchell Johnson will sit out the opposition, while every other CA-contracted player, including the likes of Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey, take part.

As CA's most high profile figure, Clarke's nonappearance from the BBL launch in Sydney next week will be notable, but the latest instance of his degenerative back problems, during a practice fixture at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane last week, provide a harsh reminder that physical organization must be a priority for the national captain.

Stuart Clark, general manager of the Sixers, said Clarke's was a hard decision, but a logical one in the conditions that confront him.

"Michael has chosen to focus on international cricket and I wish him all the best in that, we haven't shut the door on him playing for the Sixers in the future," Clark told. "I think it would've been a difficult decision, he's got a lot to offer the BBL, but he's thought about it and determined to think on the Australian team."

Mike McKenna, the BBL scheme owner and CA's head of marketing, said he could see why Clarke's decision had been made. "We appreciate and admiration his decision," McKenna said, "and while we will miss him, the T20 BBL previously offers fans a galaxy of international and national stars which will help galvanise fan enthusiasm in year one."

Teams have finalized their initial lists of at least 14 players, with some squad having named their full 18-man groups. The residual teams can wait until December to fill out their playing rosters. The Sydney Sixers have named England's Michael Lumb as their first abroad player, while in other final-day actions, the fast bowler Ben Edmondson will return to Western Australia to play with the Perth Scorchers; Chris Swan has signed with the Brisbane Heat; and the Sixers locked in Dominic Thornely and Ian Moran.

The squads so far

Adelaide Strikers Aiden Blizzard, Cameron Borgas, Lee Carseldine, Tom Cooper, Adam Crosthwaite, Theo Doropoulos, Brendan Drew, Callum Ferguson, Daniel Harris, Michael Klinger, Nathan Lyon, Aaron O'Brien, Gary Putland, Kane Richardson. Overseas players: Kieron Pollard. Coach Darren Berry.

Brisbane Heat Ryan Broad, Nick Buchanan, Daniel Christian, Ben Cutting, Peter Forrest, Ryan Harris, Nathan Hauritz, James Hopes, Chris Lynn, Michael Neser, Chris Swan, (One further contract lodged, subject to approval). Overseas players: Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori. Coach Darren Lehmann.

Hobart Hurricanes Travis Birt, Mark Cosgrove, Xavier Doherty, Luke Feldman, Evan Gulbis, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Hogan, Phil Jaques, Matt Johnston, Jason Krejza, Nick Kruger, Ben Laughlin, Rhett Lockyear, Tim Paine, Ricky Ponting. Overseas players: Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Owais Shah. Coach Ali de Winter.

Melbourne Renegades Ryan Carters, Aaron Finch, Shane Harwood, Aaron Heal, Jayde Herrick, Michael Hill, Brad Hodge, Glenn Maxwell, Andrew McDonald, Brenton McDonald, Dirk Nannes, Nathan Reardon, Will Sheridan, Shaun Tait. Overseas players: Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi. Coach Simon Helmot.

Melbourne Stars George Bailey, James Faulkner, John Hastings, Jon Holland, David Hussey, Alex Keath, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Rob Quiney, Peter Siddle, Chris Simpson, Adam Voges, Matthew Wade, Cameron White. Overseas players: Luke Wright. Coach Greg Shipperd.

Perth Scorchers Tom Beaton, Michael Beer, Mark Cameron, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Edmondson, Michael Hussey, Simon Katich, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Marcus North, Luke Pomersbach, Nathan Rimmington, Luke Ronchi. Overseas players: Paul Collingwood, Herschelle Gibbs. Coach Mickey Arthur.

Sydney Sixers Ed Cowan, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Brett Lee, Nic Maddinson, Ian Moran, Peter Nevill, Steve O'Keefe, Ben Rohrer, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Dominic Thornely, Shane Watson. Overseas players: Michael Lumb. Coach Trevor Bayliss.

Sydney Thunder Sean Abbott, Tim Armstrong, Nic Bills, Doug Bollinger, Luke Butterworth, Scott Coyte, Tim Cruickshank, Matthew Day, Luke Doran, Ben Dunk, Jason Floros, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Craig Philipson, Daniel Smith, David Warner. Overseas players: Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle. Coach Shane Duff.

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