Collingwood and Pietersen share record stand

ADELAIDE, Dec 2 (Reuters) England's Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen tore up the record books with a 310-run partnership on the second day of the second Ashes test at Adelaide Oval today.

Collingwood was out for 206 on the last ball before tea and Pietersen was unbeaten on 146 with England in complete control at 468 for four as they look to level the series following their crushing defeat in the first test.

Collingwood became only the third Englishman, and the first since Wally Hammond 70 years ago, to score a test double-century in Australia.

He also broke Jack Hobbs's record of 187, set in 1928-29, for the highest score by an Englishman at Adelaide Oval as well his beating his own previous high test score of 186.

Collingwood's partnership with Pietersen was the highest fourth-wicket stand by an English pair against Australia, beating Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain's 288 at Edgbaston in 1997. It was also the highest stand in an Ashes test at Adelaide, beating the 262 made by Hammond and Douglas Jardine in 1928-29.

The pair started the day with England on 266 for three and added 202 more before the partnership finally ended when Collingwood edged Stuart Clark to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

Collingwood had resumed on 98 and brought up his maiden Ashes ton in the second over of the day when he clipped express paceman Brett Lee through midwicket for three.

The 30-year-old was dismissed for 96 in the first test in Brisbane after he danced down the wicket to Shane Warne and was stumped by Gilchrist but there was no rush of blood this time.

He played cautiously throughout his innings, reaching his hundred off 203 balls and his double-century off 383 deliveries in 505 minutes, throwing his arms up in triumph.

Pietersen also made amends for falling agonisingly short of a hundred in Brisbane when he was out for 92 as he brought up his own ton off 149 balls in 199 minutes.

The South African-born batsman survived an appeal for caught behind off Lee to smash three fours off Glenn McGrath's first over before reaching his hundred with a quick single off Clark.

REUTERS PM RAI1200