The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Cuttack

Kevin Pietersen scored an unbeaten hundred and shared a 112-run fifth-wicket stand with Owais Shah to guide England to a challenging 270 for four Wednesday in the fifth limited-overs international against India.

Pietersen's unbeaten 111 off 128 deliveries is the first hundred by an England batsman during this seven-match series, which India has already secured by winning the first four matches.

Pietersen's seventh century in 87 one-dayers contained one six and 10 boundaries and gave England a chance of producing a morale-boosting victory.

Pietersen featured in two big stands, adding 89 runs for the third wickets with Paul Collingwood and then 112 for the unbroken fifth-wicket partnership with Shah, whose unbeaten 66 in 57 balls contained nine boundaries was his second successive half-century.

Shah's 72 in the fourth one-dayer Sunday was also the previous highest score by an England batsman in this series.

Put in to bat by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, England was revived by Pietersen's partnership with Collingwood after losing openers Alastair Cook for 11 and Ravi Bopara for 24 to be 68-2 in the 10th over.

Playing for the first time in the series, Cook chased an outswinger from Zaheer Khan and was caught by Sachin Tendulkar at first slip. Bopara was out driving, edging an outswinger from Khan to Yuvraj Singh at backward point. He hit three fours in 33 balls.

Pietersen took time to get settled but received good support from Collingwood before the former England one-day captain was dismissed trying to hit out against offspinner Harbhajan Singh.

Collingwood fell to an outstanding catch by Khan at long-on after scoring 40 from 64 balls with four boundaries.

Four balls later, Andrew Flintoff was dismissed for 0 after edging a ball from paceman Ishant Sharma to Tendulkar in the slips.

Khan had the best figures of 2-60, while Harbhajan claimed 1-47 and Sharma 1-54.