Nov. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell scored centuries as England reached 391-7 after three days of the second cricket Test in reply to Pakistan's 462 in Faisalabad.

Pietersen hooked Shoaib Akhtar for six to bring up his second Test hundred in 136 balls and was out the following delivery attempting another boundary, ending a stand of 154 with Bell. The Warwickshire batsman was caught behind for 115 and Geraint Jones added a half-century today.

``To get a score today was a bit of a relief but the way I got them today really satisfied me,'' Pietersen, whose previous three innings yielded 19 runs, told Sky Sports. ``People say it's a flat wicket but I don't think you're ever totally in especially with the wrist spinners they've got.''

England, needing victory to keep alive its chances of winning a seventh straight Test series, will seek to get close to the home side's total tomorrow before unleashing its three pace bowlers and two spinners on the Pakistani batsmen. Pakistan is trying to seal the three-match contest after winning the opener by 22 runs in Multan. A draw is the most likely result, according to bookmaker William Hill.

Shahid Afridi, who was yesterday banned from the final Test and two-one day internationals for deliberately using his feet to scuff the pitch, claimed the wickets of Bell and Jones today. He also cracked 92 from 85 balls in Pakistan's first innings.

After England had resumed on 113-3 this morning, wicket- keeper Kamran Akmal missed a chance to stump Bell for 38 in the fourth over. Pietersen had an escape on 64 when he skewed an Afridi delivery to Danish Kaneria, who let the ball pass between his hands and cannon into his shoulder.

Warnings

Leg-spinner Kaneria, who was twice warned by umpire Darrell Hair for running on the wicket, had a chance to make amends moments later but failed to get his hands to the ball when Pietersen top-edged Shoaib Malik on 68. Mohammad Yousuf finally caught the batsman at mid-on as he attempted his fourth six.

Shoaib claimed his second wicket with the new ball when he arrowed a delivery through Andrew Flintoff's defense and shattered the batsman's middle stump to send him back to the pavilion for one.

Bell nudged his way to 90 before earning a reprieve when he tried to pull Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and the ball passed straight through Salman Butt's hands at square-leg. He reached his second Test hundred with a cut through the offside for a sixth boundary.

After lofting another four over the bowler's head, Bell chased a delivery outside off stump and edged his cut into Akmal's gloves.

Bullet

Combining for 51 with Ashley Giles, Jones reached his fifth Test half-century from 65 balls with an eighth boundary. He fell when Afridi flighted a delivery that straightened and trapped him leg-before-wicket.

Mixing up slow, turning deliveries with seamers of up to 80 miles-an-hour, Afridi tormented Giles and Shaun Udal as the pair battled through to the close with Giles on 23 and Udal six.

After yesterday's play was interrupted when a gas cylinder exploded on the perimeter of the field, umpire Simon Taufel today found a bullet on the pitch. A security guard removed it.

Home captain Inzamam-ul-Haq yesterday scored his 23rd Test century to tie Javed Miandad as the most prolific century-makers for Pakistan. Inzamam's innings ended in controversy on 109 when he was adjudged run out even though he hadn't left his crease and was jumping to avoid Steve Harmison's throw.

The Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement today it protested to the International Cricket Council because ``it is evident Inzamam took evasive action to avoid injury and according to the laws should not have been given out.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Sam Sheringham in London at ssheringham@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 22, 2005 07:36 EST