Weather may win Adelaide Ashes Contest!

England former Captain,  Kevin Pietersen was confident of victory after his unbeaten 213 put them 306 runs ahead with two days of the second Test remaining.

England were 551-4 when rain put paid to play for the day.

"We had a clear idea where we wanted to be but we'll see how the weather is in the morning and push hard for victory.

"There's a lot of spin out of the rough which will play into Swanny's [Graeme Swann] hands and if we can bowl to our plans we can take 10 wickets," he said.

Pietersen's game has been off during the summer  but he went to South Africa with friend Graham Ford (former coach for Kent and South Africa) and put a lot of time into basic practice in the nets.

"It came back to me and he got me back to the way I used to play and went through bits and pieces I had forgotten."

After the second double century of his Test career Pietersen told BBC Sport: "It was nice to get the runs and it's really really good we're in the position we are, 300-odd ahead of Australia with two days left in the Test match."

Alistair Cook

Alistair Cook continued his fine form from the first test where he made over 200 and came in at 148 in the first innings of the second test.


James Anderson was a prime mover of the first day and England will be counting on a repeat performance when the Aussies  bat again.  As already mentioned Graeme Swann is hoping that the wicket will start taking spin and he will be looking to put several notches on his belt.  Having not shone particularly in the previous test is certainly time for him to make his mark.


A total of 38, 615 people attended the first day of play and it is estimated that more than 72,000 fans will have flocked to Adelaide Oval during the first two days of play.  Will the fans be able to raise the Aussie game sufficiently or will the tourists declare at the start of day 4 hoping to bowl the Aussies out before rain declares another draw!