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MELBOURNE: Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss blasted half centuries to guide England to an imposing 294 all out in 49.4 overs in the first one-day international against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Pietersen top scored with 78 before he was run out just as he was looking to launch a final assault on the Australian bowlers with the batting power play, while Strauss scored 63 off 65 balls as he punished anything short of a length.
England got off to a blistering start with Strauss and Steve Davies flaying the Australian attack to all parts of the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The two left-handers rattled up 90 runs inside the first 12 overs before Davies fell on the first ball of the 13th when he was bowled by a faster, flat delivery from part-time off-spinner David Hussey for 42.
Australia managed to choke off the run rate with Jonathan Trott (six) and Strauss (63) falling before Ian Bell (23) and Eion Morgan (eight) were dismised in quick succession by Stephen Smith, leaving England at 186 for five with more than 17 overs remaining and Pietersen to bat with the bowlers.
Pietersen, who had been relatively circumspect scratching his way to 37 off 47 balls before he survived a possible stumping chance – the third stumping opportunity of the innings missed by Brad Haddin – then exploded for successive sixes off David Hussey and upped the scoring rate.
The 30-year-old was run out at the worst possible time shortly after England had taken the third power play when Tim Bresnan called him through for a quick single and Mitchell Johnson managed to kick the ball onto the stumps and leave Pietersen a metre short of his ground.
Bresnan contributed a handy 28 before he flicked at a short Brett Lee delivery and was easily caught at third man by Xavier Doherty, while Ajmal Shazhad (eight not out) and Chris Tremlett (seven) both hit sixes in the final two overs to push England towards 300.
