Morning:
8°c
Ravi Bopara signed off for the biggest test of his cricket career by completing an unbeaten century on a rain-affected final day of England's Ashes warm-up match against Warwickshire.
With the first Test in Cardiff just five days away, England's No3 reached 104 before retiring to allow Matt Prior more time in the middle ahead of the opening battle with Australia.
The morning session at Edgbaston was lost to rain, with play not resuming until 2.15pm, and Bopara, resuming on 88 not out, brought up his century in fine style with a square drive off Boyd Rankin's second over which flew over the short boundary for six.
Paul Collingwood, on 52 not out, and Prior, unbeaten on 51, had guided England to 253 for three, a lead of 440 runs. But with only one full session of the game remaining, a draw looked inevitable.
The practice match has largely been positive for England. Andrew Flintoff made an impressive comeback with the ball, taking two for 14 in Warwickshire's first innings, with James Anderson claiming five for 34 and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar staking his claim for a starting place in Cardiff with three for 10.
Alastair Cook maintained his good form with 124 in the first innings, with Kevin Pietersen's aggregate total of seven runs in two innings the only blight on an encouraging three days in Birmingham.
On the face of it, England's premier batsman is in poor form as he approaches the most important series of his career. Excluding the World Twenty20, Pietersen has scored only 56 runs in his last four knocks for his country — and 49 of those were scored in the Wisden Trophy-clinching win over West Indies in May.
After scoring only one in England's first innings at Edgbaston, Pietersen had made just six in their second before he steered a lifting delivery from Ireland international Rankin into the hands of Rikki Clarke.
Yet Australia would be mistaken if they were to take from that a belief that Pietersen's powers are on the wane.
The former England captain has little time for warm-up matches or unofficial games with little riding on the outcome.
Indeed, Pietersen said last week that he loves “playing the big series” — and there is none bigger than the Ashes.
The magnificent 158 he scored at The Oval four years ago helped England regain the little urn after 18 years, and demonstrated the South African-born batsman relishes the big stage.
Make no mistake, when the teams walk out in Cardiff on Wednesday, KP will be as focused as he has ever been, with this match an irrelevant memory.
For Bopara, on the other hand, this century should calm the nerves, with Australia certain to target England's new No3 from the very start.
Aussie great Shane Warne has already cranked up the pressure on Bopara by casting doubt on his ability to succeed in international cricket, and his heirs in the baggy green cap are certain to follow suit.
