Cricket: England go-slow pleases Pietersen.

Byline: By Myles Hodgson

KEVIN PIETERSEN insisted England "batted brilliantly" after going on the defensive throughout the third day to prevent New Zealand taking control of the first Test.

The tourists scored only 199 runs in 93 overs and allowed New Zealand to bowl 34 maidens just a day after England's attack had been flogged for 188 in 49 overs.

But Pietersen, who hit only three boundaries in his 42 compiled in over three hours at the crease, believes England performed superbly on a pitch which he insists has now changed to make batting difficult.

"Our guys batted brilliantly, I think we put in a great performance here," said the Hampshire batsman, who hit 22 singles and three twos in his innings.

"If a few of us had tried to play our normal games and got out for 10 or 15 we could have been in a whole lot of trouble - we were asked to bat the whole day, we were asked to scrap and we certainly scrapped as much as we can.

"To lose only four wickets in the day is a fantastic effort. Yes, we haven't scored as many runs as everybody would have liked, but it's not that kind of wicket."

Pietersen became so circumspect in his approach that after hitting off-spinner Jeetan Patel for six from the third ball he faced, he did not record another boundary until he clipped seamer Chris Martin through mid-wicket for four 91 balls later. But he stressed: "I needed to be a different Kevin Pietersen today. The conditions didn't allow you to be a free-flowing batsman and I think their bowlers bowled particularly well.

"(Daniel) Vettori is a world-class spinner, Patel bowled well and their seamers made it difficult as well. It was really, really hard batting conditions out there and the wicket didn't help to score freely.

"To be honest, I think today was one of my better knocks I think I've played for England even though I blocked the ball.

"I didn't try anything stupid in my whole innings, I've developed into a player who can adjust and, if needs be, play like that."

Patel, who claimed one for 90 from his 35 overs, agreed that New Zealand had bowled well but they were equally happy that England had been so defensive on such a flat batting wicket.

"I think we bowled really well and that made it hard for them to score," he explained. I thought they'd come at us a little bit harder but it just shows how well we did bowl, how straight we bowled it and how much we did with the ball.

"They're a pretty strong side and they're a positive side and they've got some really good players."

CAPTION(S):

WELL HELD ... Daniel Vettori takes a diving return catch to dismiss Kevin Pietersen