Kevin Pietersen hit his first county championship triple century on Monday, a career-best, to boost his hopes of an England recall
Kevin Pietersen boosts hopes of England recall with triple century
London: Kevin Pietersen hit his first county championship triple century on Monday, a career-best, to boost his hopes of an England recall.
Pietersen, sacked by England last year but desperate for a recall, brought up his 300 with his 11th six against Leicestershire.
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Kevin Pietersen of Surrey. Pic/Getty Images
Exiled batsman Pietersen had completed his 50th first-class hundred, from 153 balls, in the final over before lunch on day two of Surrey's Division Two match against Leicestershire and he remained in dominant form as he eased past 300 before the close of play at The Oval.
The 34-year-old scored 326 not out for Surrey against Leicestershire, one day before new England director Andrew Strauss faces the media.
It is the highest County Championship score by any player since August 2011.
Dropped four times as he peppered the boundaries at The Oval, he surged to his first double century since July 2012, when he notched 234 not out against Lancashire, from 276 balls after tea.
South Africa-born Pietersen's hopes of a recall remain with the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) new director of cricket Andrew Strauss, who was appointed at the weekend before the ousting of former coach Peter Moores.
His former Test captain Strauss will hold his first press conference on Tuesday, before announcing the Test squad to face New Zealand at Lord's next week.
Pietersen has been cast adrift from England's plans since he was sacked from all apparent future plans in the aftermath of their 2013-14 Ashes whitewash defeat.
But incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves provided renewed hope that the batsman could yet return when he hinted in March that runs for Surrey this summer could provide the pathway he needs.
Pietersen responded by agreeing a new contract with the county, and in his fifth championship innings of the summer he duly reached three figures again.
He sought to diminish the significance of Monday's innings, before taking the field on 35 not out overnight, when he told one of his Twitter followers he did not expect it to have a decisive bearing on his England return.
At the suggestion it could be "the most important innings of your life", Pietersen posted: "Ha! Seriously? Not sure my career can be decided on one innings on a Mon in London...we get judged on Ashes series'."
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