5 innings show why England will miss Kevin Pietersen

The final nails look to have gone into the coffin of Kevin Pietersen’s England career with the release of his latest book, KP: The Autobiography.

While we have learnt Matt Prior, who will certainly not be getting a Christmas card from Mr. Pietersen, loves to call himself “The Big Cheese”, we can also remember the brilliance England’s all-time leading run scorer showed on the pitch from reading the book that is 5/6 to be best-selling sports autobiography this Christmas.

From swashbuckling ODI centuries and slaying the Aussies to match-winning knocks in the sub-continent, Pietersen did it all and here, Ladbrokes News takes a look at five of the best from KP.

158 v Australia – The Oval – 2005

KP burst onto the Test scene in fine style (apart from his catching!) scoring 301 runs at an average of 43 as England took a 2-1 lead in the Ashes against the great Australian side led by Ricky Ponting.

But the right-handed batsman saved his best for last in that series as he swatted Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Shane Warne all around the Oval on his way to 158 and sealing a first Ashes win for England in 16 years and 29 days (Yes, we were definitely counting!).

Watch KP’s maiden Test century here:

100* v South Africa – East London – 2005

Fresh from making his ODI debut against Zimbabwe, Pietersen was picked to face the country of his birth in just his second England tour.

The South African-born star faced hostility from the home crowd whenever he walked out to bat against the Proteas but he did all his talking with the bat.

Scores of 108 not out and 75 were followed by the fastest century by an England player in a one-day match (100* off 69 balls) in the fifth and final game of the series.

Despite falling to defeat by just seven runs this innings remains one of KP’s best in England colours!

91* v Australia – Bristol – 2005

Before the famous summer of 2005 there was much debate as to whether Pietersen or English cricket legend Graham Thorpe would get the final place in England’s batting line-up for the impending Ashes clash with Australia.

The debate was ended though on one fine summer’s afternoon in Bristol as KP took a liking to the Australian bowlers, including a headband clad Jason Gillespie, smashing 91 off just 65 balls to take England to a three-wicket victory.

The rest, as they say, is history!

149 v South Africa – Headingley – 2012

It was the summer things started to unravel with England for KP with the parody twitter account and textgate but before that he still had time to put South Africa to the sword.

On a sporting pitch for the bowlers, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, both on top of their games, charged in at the former Notts and Hants star, who went toe-to-toe with the best side in world cricket.

Pietersen showed his class smashing 149, alongside four wickets in the match, to earn himself the man of the match award in Leeds before facing exclusion for the final Test at Lord’s following the famous text messages.

Once again, the rest is history!

186 v India – Mumbai – 2012

Following reintegration to the England fold following the dramas of the previous summer, KP showed his class once again with arguably one of the best innings ever seen by an Englishman.

On a spinning pitch in Mumbai – alien conditions for any English batsmen – the 34-year-old produced a batting masterpiece to score 186 and send England on their way to a 10-wicket win.

Watch KP’s penultimate Test century for England here:

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £100 in free bets.