England were 193 for four in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings 141 at lunch on the second day of the second Test at Edgbaston on Friday.
Updated at 7.10 pm
BIRMINGHAM: Kevin Pietersen tightened England's grip on the second Test against Sri Lanka on Friday by taking his score to 65 not out at lunch on the second day at Edgbaston.
At the interval England were 193 for four, a lead of 52.Pietersen, 30 overnight, appeared unaffected by the Edgbaston gloom after the start had been delayed for 80 minutes due to overnight rain.
England passed Sri Lanka's total in the 36th over when Pietersen drove Muttiah Muralitharan's first delivery of the day through extra cover for four.
Pietersen registered his sixth test half-century with a sweep off Muralitharan that bisected deep backward square leg and fine leg. It had taken him just 53 deliveries.
The aggressive right-hander then advanced down the wicket and drove the next ball over the bowler's head and Nuwan Kulasekera at long-on misjudged the spin on the ball and allowed a boundary for what should have been a single.
The frustrated Muralitharan, Test cricket's second most prolific bowler, directed his next delivery down the leg side for a third straight four which was given as byes.
The eventful over concluded with a vociferous shout for LBW that umpire Darrell Hair judged was missing the top of the stumps.
Nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard was the only wicket to fall in the session when he was bowled by a yorker from Chaminda Vaas.
Although he only made three, he served his purpose by thwarting the Sri Lankans for 50 minutes, while putting on 44 with Pietersen for the fourth wicket.
One of the few moments of discomfort for Pietersen came when he was struck in the ribs by a delivery from pace bowler Lasith Malinga. At lunch Paul Collingwood was the other not out batsman on 10.
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