Kevin Pietersen has stated that he is in the best form of his career after beginning his bid for an England recall by scoring 170 for Surrey against Oxford MCCU on Sunday.
The 34-year-old has re-signed for Surrey in a bid to regain his place in the England side, after incoming England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves opened the door to an international comeback.
Pietersen's 149-ball innings was his first century in any form of cricket since the Old Trafford Ashes Test in August 2013.
"I've been given a lifeline," Pietersen told BBC Sport. "I'm batting as well as I've ever batted in my career.
"It bodes well for the future. It's only one day of cricket, I've still got a long way to go but it's not a bad start.
"If it's a journey back, it's a journey back, all I've got to do is score runs. That's what was asked of me to do today and I delivered."
Pietersen has not featured for England since the 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia.
Steven Toplis
