Kevin Pietersen's magnificent 110 led England to a convincing 114-run-win over New Zealand in the first ODI at Chester-le-Street. With a disciplined allround display in the field, they never let New Zealand have a sniff of reaching 308 - a target made all the more challenging for the visitors after the early wicket of Brendon McCullum for 36. If this wasn't a complete one-day performance by England, it was something close to it. For New Zealand, it was sadly much of the same.
Led by Stuart Broad, England's bowlers were tight, disciplined and indebted to Pietersen's remarkable hundred from 112 balls. For too long Pietersen has been in hibernation; this was his first one-day hundred since the 2007 World Cup, and once he passed fifty, he appeared to regress back into that creative, dominant batsman who had all of England purring two years ago. England had lost Luke Wright for a stodgy 11, while Bell struggled to replicate his silky timing of two days ago, falling for 46. When Ravi Bopara departed, rather timidly handing Scott Styris a caught-and-bowled, England limped to 95 for 3 with the halfway point fast approaching.
That they reached the lofty heights of 307 was largely Pietersen's doing, but Collingwood returned to form brilliantly with a run-a-ball 64, as the pair put on 136 for the fourth wicket. Pietersen initially struggled, pottering - as much he ever potters - to 30 but unfurled thrillingly, like a caterpillar escaping its chrysalis. Styris, who was later to be dumbfounded by Pietersen's touch of genius, was clattered through the covers; Daniel Vettori, who mostly outbowled all his colleagues, was flat-driven over the top for six and after reaching a run-a-ball fifty, he took on Michael Mason with fours over midwicket.
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