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Kevin Pietersen motored along during a shortened morning session on the second day at Edgbaston as England swiftly moved into the lead. He wasted no time imposing himself against Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas after rain and a very wet outfield had delayed the start by 80 minutes. Vaas struck the only blow by removing Matthew Hoggard, the nightwatchman, but the big wickets eluded Sri Lanka, according to webside cricinfo.
The Sri Lankans were clearly not happy with the conditions as fielders slipped near the boundary and the damp ball became difficult for Muralitharan to control. Mahela Jayawardene talked to the umpires more than once while plenty of time was spent drying the ball with towels after it rolled towards the ropes.
Pietersen certainly sent it flying there with crunching power. He reached out to Muralitharan and fired him through the covers before slotting Vaas down the ground and whipping him through midwicket. His fifty off 54 balls arrived with a stinging sweep, the seventh boundary of the innings, as he continued the form from Lord's that brought him 158
Vaas found movement under the cloudy skies, nipping the ball away from Pietersen who edged short of first slip, and forcing Hoggard to play and miss before crashing a full delivery into his middle stump after setting him up with a bouncer. Paul Collingwood joined Pietersen and eased into his task with some watchful judgement against Vaas before having his first look at Lasith Malinga, whose introduction was surprisingly delayed until 15 minutes before lunch. Malinga bowled with pace and struck Pietersen a painful blow in the stomach, but it's Sri Lanka who have plenty to digest over lunch.
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