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England batsman Kevin Pietersen said the 42 runs he painstakingly scratched out against New Zealand on the third day of the first Test was one of the best test innings he had played for his country.

The normally aggressive and flamboyant Pietersen took 131 balls to make 42, in England’s total of 286 for six at the close of play on Friday at Seddon Park, well below his normal strike rate of 64.68 runs per 100 balls.

“To be honest today was one of my better innings for England,” Pietersen told reporters. “In my whole innings I didn’t try anything stupid. “It was really hard batting conditions out there. The wicket didn’t help to score freely. A lot of balls I would normally drive I had to defend because there was a bit of nip or it kept low.

“I wanted to work to my own game plan — just bat time, play the balls under my eyes and score as and when I needed to score. “I knew I needed to score a big innings and I was on course to do that but it was just an unfortunate dismissal. I’m happy I didn’t chuck it away on 20 and I’m happy I didn’t chuck it away on 42. That ball…for it to go back to the bowler was unfortunate.

He added: “I was really upset at getting out. Not the way I got out, but because I got out on 42 after doing such hard, hard work.” New Zealand off-spinner Jeetan Patel said his side were pleased with their bowling effort on the pitch, which offered spin and sharp bounce.

“They are a positive side and a strong side with some real good players, but we bowled real well today and fielded extremely well, and that’s shown in the stats,” said Patel. “On a really flat wicket we came close to bowling them out, and tomorrow it’s a big challenge to do it again.”

Patel added that England’s defensive approach had played into New Zealand’s hands. “When a team gets defensive I think it let’s us play with tactics, bowl in different areas, makes us ask different questions which is great, rather than have them ask us different questions. “We can bowl dead straight or half a foot outside off stump and see what’s going to happen. “We get a chance to play the game and play it our way.”

Source:Cricket News