KP at the double

THIRD DAY

To Lunch: Trott's value was shown by the total when he was out - 176-3. He is far from the most dynamic batsman in history but he takes those runs on offer and if he is batting with KP the rate stays high. All that was needed now KP had shown he was at his best were workmanlike innings as provided by Trott and Collingwood. At lunch England were 449-3 and the wise men of Australian cricket close to admitting their bowling had no answers.

To tea: Collingwood missed a straight ball but he had done his work and KP, driving through the onside and down the vee, or simply hitting, rubbed in the lessons of England's chances of beating a weak side. It began to rain as KP reached his double hundred and they did not return after tea at 551-4, 306 ahead and whatever the weather able to ocntrol the rest of the match. Although we must remember what happened four years ago even if there are no giants of Warne's stature in this Ausralian side.

Jo King, Queen stat, says: KP needs n handful of runs to beat his personal best of 226 against West Indies at Headingle but my guess is that Strauss will take one look at the overhead cloud and go flat out for the win. If he can squeeze a minute or two for KP he will reap the benefit later in the series because to KP confidence is like a drug and a new PB will undoubtedly encourage him to score even more runs.