England batsman Kevin Pietersen has scored an important psychological victory against the Australian pace attack by clobbering 80 not out against New South Wales in the tour match at the SCG.
With the NSW line-up containing Test players Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath as well as Ashes hopefuls Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark, Pietersen got an vital first-hand insight into the pace attack he might face in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba starting on November 23.
"It's the toughest warm-up game that I've played with England, especially against those four pacemen," Pietersen said after the match.
"Two are definite (selections) to play against us and the other two are strong possibilities."
Pietersen was guilty of giving a few chances in his innings but, on the whole, he issued a foreboding outlook towards the upcoming Ashes campaign. He struck 10 fours and two huge sixes in his unbeaten innings to help steer his team out of trouble against the Blues.
In further confidence-building displays for England, skipper Andrew Flintoff looked to be getting back to his dangerous best with an unbeaten 48 runs while Andrew Strauss (50) and Alastair Cook (59) also seem to be warming up for the Ashes battle.
"I think the boys deserve something positive written and said about them, they've done fantastically well today," said Pietersen.
"I thought Straussy played fantastically well, Tres was a bit unlucky to knock his bail off, Cooky was fantastic, and it was nice for me to get some runs as well. It's still not 100 percent but we're definitely improving."
Meanwhile, the England pace attack also started to click into gear on day two of the tour match. After being dispatched to all parts of the ground on the first day by Phil Jaques (107), Simon Katich (68) and Michael Clarke (50), the tourists had the better of the second day's play.
Steve Harmison looked the best, picking up two early wickets while Matthew Hoggard and Jimmy Anderson took deserved wickets as they reduced New South Wales from 325-5overnight to 355-9.
