DLF League

Thursday 20, November 2008

A smog-delayed start, that reduced this to a 49-over match, did not stop skipper Kevin Pietersen from electing to bat first on winning the toss. His rejigged opening pair of Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara (pictured) repaid his faith with a steady partnership in the first 15 overs, picking up the pace impressively after a slow start (16 off the first 7 overs) to reach 80 for 1 after 15 overs. The man out was Bell, dismissed in the last over of the second fielding Powerplay for a run-a-ball 46. Both openers had dealt largely in boundaries on what looks to be a good batting track and it is now up to captain Pietersen, who had promoted himself to number three, to push England towards a competitive total.