Pietersen takes up the challenge

England's selectors had been forced into a rethink following the resignations of Michael Vaughan as Test leader and Paul Collingwood from the one-day role.

Barring a last-minute change of heart, they have settled on Pietersen ahead of Andrew Strauss and Rob Key but the South-African born 28-year-old wanted to meet coach Peter Moores before his appointment was confirmed.

Vaughan - England's most successful Test captain with 26 wins from 51 matches - quit in the wake of Saturday's five-wicket loss to South Africa at Edgbaston, a result which condemned his side to their third defeat in the last five series.

The 33-year-old has scored just 40 runs in five innings against South Africa but insisted he wants to recapture his top form and then fight for a place in the team to travel to India this winter.

An emotional Vaughan said: "It's the hardest decision I've ever had to make, but also the easiest.

"It's a job I've loved for five years and I've put my heart and soul into it. My mind told me to pack it in and I just felt if I kept on going my career could come to an abrupt end and hopefully this decision will prolong my career.

"But I'm now in the ranks of all the other players and I need to score runs to get back in the team.

"I spoke to my dad this morning and he said, 'You can walk away a proud lad because you've given it everything and that is all I ever asked you to do'."

As for Collingwood, who saved his Test career with a century at Edgbaston, he hopes that giving up the stresses of the one-day captaincy will prolong his stay in both teams and let him "rediscover the joy of just playing for England". Pietersen, who led England to a one-day defeat against New Zealand at Lord's five weeks ago when Collingwood was suspended, will be in charge for Thursday's final npower Test against South Africa at The Brit Oval.

His open-ended appointment is a big gamble for several reasons and will not be universally popular. By his own admission, Pietersen's captaincy experience is strictly limited - "zilch" was the word he used before the Lord's one-dayer in June.

England will name their team for the final Test, and also a squad for the limited-overs internationals against South Africa, later today.