Yorkshire v Surrey: It may be tough being Pietersen but it is a joy to watch him play

So tweeted Kevin Pietersen on the day before this Championship match.

He may not be talking to the nation’s media, choosing to confine his thoughts to former team-mates and non-journalists such as Darren Gough, but perhaps that is no bad thing given his “it’s tough being me” speech when he was last at this ground in August last year.

Pietersen is always at his best when he lets his bat do the talking, for it is one of the most eloquent instruments to have graced the game.

It is a bat that yesterday took Yorkshire to the tune of 177 not out as Surrey scored 353-7 declared in reply to the home side’s 433-9 declared, Yorkshire closing on 52-1.

More importantly for England, it is a bat clearly primed to take on Australia.

In his first innings for exactly 100 days after a knee injury, 
Pietersen appropriately notched a hundred – the 48th of his first-class career, and fifth in six appearances at Leeds.

It improved his record at his most successful English Test ground, one where he has now scored 940 runs at 104.44.

Truly, he is a quite remarkable batsman.

It may be tough being Kevin, but it is somewhat less taxing watching him play.

Having had to wait until 12.15pm on day three for his first innings since the second Test against New Zealand at Wellington in March, Pietersen, right from the moment he walked to the wicket wearing a jumper to protect himself from the unseasonable chill, was wonderfully easy on the eye.

After a trademark scampered single to get off the mark when he pushed Jack Brooks into the off-side and was nearly run out by Adil Rashid running in from point, he looked like a man on a collision course with a century.

Before long the feet were moving freely and the boundaries flowing furiously, warming the cockles of even the diehard home supporters as a bitter wind whipped across the ground.

After play began an hour late following morning rain, the trailers of the first two days continued for a further 15 minutes before the main feature began with Pietersen’s arrival.

Yorkshire, missing pace bowler Steve Patterson, who broke his left big toe on Saturday when he was struck while batting, an injury that will keep him out for a fortnight, expedited that arrival by taking two wickets in the first four overs after Surrey resumed on 53-1.

Ryan Sidebottom had nightwatchman Tim Linley caught at second slip by Adam Lyth, the fielder juggling the catch, before Brooks had Vikram Solanki superbly caught by Andrew Gale, the Yorkshire captain bravely clinging on when the batsman pulled violently to mid-on.

As Pietersen started to slip through the gears, Surrey lost their fourth wicket on 76 when Rory Burns, seeking to play a 
Pietersen-esque clip through the leg-side, was lbw to Sidebottom.

After laying the foundations before lunch, Pietersen built on them after the break.

The warning signs were there when he suddenly lifted Rashid for a straight six into the Rugby Stand, a stroke played with the effortless ease of a champion.

Pietersen, in fact, was particularly severe on his former England team-mate.