Pietersen and Mahmood helped put England firmly in control

The Lancashire 24-year-old helped reduce Sri Lanka to 91-6 and Pietersen said: "He's done a fantastic job.

"In his first over he sent three or four down the leg-side but he came back really well and the promising thing for England is he's bowling at 90mph.

"When Harmison and Jones come back we'll have four bowlers doing that."

Sri Lankan crumbled after Pietersen helped England amass 551-6 before skipper Andrew Flintoff declared.

Day two report Lord's scorecard

For the 25-year-old Hampshire star it was his second century in as many Test innings in England and equalled his 158 against Australia in the final Ashes match at The Oval last summer.

"It meant an absolute million to me. It was fantastic to get those three figures," he said.

"My balance is good at the moment. I thought I was batting the best I've ever batted towards the end in India and was just unfortunate not to get a hundred in the one-dayers," he explained.

"I was saying to myself after getting to 100 to go on get a big one because you start from zero in the second innings and in Birmingham, and once you're there you have to cash in."

He's a great bowler, and not one of these guys you can take for granted Pietersen on Muralitharan

Pietersen got the better of Sri Lanka's main bowling threat, off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, but admitted he had been outfoxed himself at times.

"I was going to bat on off-stump and sweep every ball - it's a shot I've developed and one I'm playing really well at the moment - but he set a 7-2 field which was really difficult.

"It got to me a bit but he dropped a few short and I was able to work it through the off-side.

"He's a great bowler, and not one of these guys you can take for granted. He's a thinking cricketer and the hardest period to face Murali today was when I was on 130.

"I was picking him and not picking him especially when they set that right field back."

Muralitharan admitted the young tourists had been outplayed but insisted they had no option but to persevere with youth, amid reports that Sanath Jayasuriya is coming out of Test retirement to bolster the side.

"On the day England did really well and that's why we're in this situation. It won't be easy to draw because there are three days left and another innings to bat," he said.

"I don't know whether one man can strengthen the side but we need him at the moment because we're inexperienced.

"We have youngsters playing but you have to give them lot of chances to become good. You have to give them 15 Tests and play them for a few years.