Also See: Gallery
Ahmedabad: Kevin Pietersen smashed an aggressive century on Thursday as England showed off their batting prowess ahead of next week's Test series against India.
Pietersen hit 110 off 94 balls as the tourists feasted on Haryana's weak bowling attack to pile up a massive 408-3 on the opening day of the four-day match in Ahmedabad.
The South African-born star warmed up for the first Test in the same city from November 15 with 16 boundaries and three sixes before retiring to give other players an outing at the crease.
Pietersen was a last-minute addition to the tour squad after making peace with the England management over a text message row that forced his exile from the team in August.
Skipper Alastair Cook followed his 119 in the tour opener in Mumbai with 97, putting on 166 for the first wicket with Nick Compton.
Compton, grandson of former England batsman Denis Compton, almost certainly ensured himself a Test debut in Ahmedabad with a bright knock of 74 that was studded with nine fours and a six.
Ian Bell chipped in with an unbeaten 57 to end a profitable day for the tourists, who are aiming to win their first Test series in India since 1985.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, the only international in Haryana's team, finished with two for 50 from 11 overs. England took the field without injured pace bowlers Stuart Broad and Steven Finn, and frontline spinner Graeme Swann, who flew home on Wednesday to attend to his sick baby daughter.
Finn suffered a thigh strain in the tour opener and Broad bruised his left heel in the second practice match, but scans did not reveal any serious injury for either player.
Both Swann and Broad are expected to feature in the first Test, but Finn remains a doubtful starter. Paceman Stuart Meaker, who was flown in as a precautionary stand-by, was picked for the Haryana game alongside seamers Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan.
Brief scores:
England 1st innings: 408-3 (Alastair Cook 97, Nick Compton 74, Kevin Pietersen 110 retired out, Ian Bell 57 not out, Amit Mishra 2-50)
Latest Photos
Featured Interactives
MORE TOP STORIES TODAY

[Round-up]: CSK 'owner' sent to police custody till May 29; Srinivasan refuses to quit More » IPL Spot-Fixing: Cops to grill Meiyappan some more

New Zealand tour of England, 2nd Test More » 2nd Test Live: New Zealand vs England at Leeds

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) Amid the intriguing but dark saga of the unfolding spot fixing and betting scam, two-time champions Chennai Super Kings take on traditional underachievers Mumbai Indians in the final … More » Chennai stand in Mumbai's way of maiden IPL crown

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) The Chennai Super Kings Saturday said its players and support staff have no knowledge of betting and spot fixing, and were distressed by the allegations and news reports concerning … More » Our players, staff have no knowledge of spot-fixing: CSK

Kolkata: Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid hopes that investigators "get to the bottom of the mess and reveal the truth" about spot fixing. More » Dravid: Get to the bottom of the mess

Troubled Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf will fight to clear his name in an ongoing spot-fixing scandal in India, family sources told AFP on Saturday, saying he had returned to his home in Lahore. More » Umpire Rauf will fight to clear name - family

The other finalists, Chennai Super Kings, are in grave danger of a dishonourable exit. More » Who will Mumbai play in the final?
NEW DELHI, May 25, 2013 (AFP) - A top Indian industry body has called for legalising sports betting amid a spot-fixing scandal in which cricketers were allegedly paid tens of thousands of dollars by bookmakers … More » Make betting legal, says top Indian body

Understanding the fragility of the world's top players and the human element of the game have been the cornerstone of Gary Kirsten's approach to coaching international cricket teams. The 45-year-old heads … More » Interview: All in the mind for Kirsten
![[COMMENTS:] Paradise Lost](http://l.yimg.com/os/mit/media/m/base/images/transparent-1093278.png)
What I wonder now, amidst these ruins, is this: how do I watch a cricket match again? More » [COMMENTS:] Paradise Lost

Camp Srinivasan lacks a moral compass and a sense of fairplay. It is time Srinivasan resigned from his his positions as an administrator in Indian cricket. More » Meiyappan is the Chennai team owner

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Having pulled out its franchise Pune Warriors from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Sahara chief Subrata Roy fired another salvo saying he would immediately stop sponsoring the … More » Subrata Roy wants Srinivasan out


Asad Rauf, the Pakistani umpire whose name has cropped up in the current T20 league spot fixing scandal, has left the country in a hurry. Rauf, who was officiating in the current T20 league season, was … More » Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf leaves India

PepsiCo didn't confirm or deny if it was considering invoking a clause to look at a possible exit from its title sponsorship. More » Spot fixing: Pepsi mulls pulling out of IPL

Three Chennai Super Kings players, one of them quite senior, were in touch with Vindoo Dara Singh during the ongoing T20 season. More » Three Chennai players 'linked' to probe

MUMBAI, May 24, 2013 (AFP) - Police said Friday they were "investigating all the angles" in the Indian spot-fixing scandal but refused to confirm if they were targeting top Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf. More » Asad Rauf being investigated?
LEEDS, United Kingdom, May 24, 2013 (AFP) - Rain meant there was no play on the first day of the second and final Test between England and New Zealand at Headingley on Friday. More » Eng-NZ: Rain plays spoilsport on Day 1

[SPOT-FIXING ROUND-UP]: Meiyappan finally surfaces | Rauf dropped from ICC event More » Rauf dropped from Champions Trophy

Pakistan could manage only a tie in the first ODI against Ireland at a bitterly cold Clontarf after Kevin O'Brien hit the last ball of the match for four. More » Kevin gives Ireland thrilling tie with Pak

Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid said dealing with the spot-fixing allegations surrounding his team in the IPL has been one of the toughest phases of his career. More » 'Dealing with spot-fixing has been tough'

Australian Test batsman David Warner has said that the Indian players caught in the IPL spot-fixing scandal should be banned from cricket. More » Warner calls for ban on IPL spot-fixers

Misbah ul-Haq has told his Pakistan team they must improve in all three departments ahead of Sunday's series decider with Ireland. More » All-round improvement needed: Misbah

Akhtar said that he doesn’t understand why Pakistani officials — umpires and coaching staff — are welcome in IPL while players have been kept out. More » Akhtar appalled by double standards

Cook believes Headingley will be far from the bowling-friendly ground of old when the second Test against New Zealand starts at Yorkshire's headquarters on Friday. More » Cook expects hard work at Headingley

Sunrisers Hyderabad came up short against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator here but their inaugural Indian Premier League campaign was a successful one, their captain Cameron White has said. More » 'Sunrisers can be proud of their effort'

Thanks to the format of the IPL, Mumbai Indians still have a chance to qualify for the final. More » Mumbai look to make most of second chance

Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid hinted at retiring from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after this season. More » Dravid to hang up gloves for good?

He was ruled out after doubts over his ability to last a five-day match. More » Vettori out of second Test against England

Arrested Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila had received Rs.12 lakh for spot fixing in IPL 2012 matches, Delhi Police said Thursday. More » Chandila spot fixed in 2012 IPL: Police

England captain Alastair Cook found himself being quizzed about the star batsman in Leeds on the eve of the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley. More » Absent KP puts pressure on England

Delhi Police contacted their counterparts in Mumbai seeking details about the articles seized from the hotel where Sreesanth stayed, said a police official. More » Delhi Police seek details of seizures

Result: embarrassment in one dressing room, and one set of flabbergasted bookies. More » A T20 match both teams wanted to lose

He facilitated others in Bollywood in placing bets with bookies he knew. More » Vindoo spills the beans on Bollywood










