Kevin Pietersen was back doing what he still does best at The Oval today as England tried to take full command of the summer's final Test.

Pietersen had a happy introduction as captain 24 hours ago with South Africa being bowled out for 194. But he remains a batsman, first and foremost, and the early loss of Ian Bell this morning gave him the chance to concentrate solely on scoring big runs at the end of the npower series.

Several cracking boundaries suggested Pietersen was right up for that particular challenge. And with opener Alastair Cook settling in again, England reached a promising 111 for two before Cook flashed at a wide one from Makhaya Ntini without moving his feet and was caught behind.

Light rain delayed the start of play by half an hour, but Ntini needed only four deliveries to sort out Bell - and cut short another innings from the Warwickshire batsman that promised much more than it delivered.

Because Bell looks so accomplished at the crease, so pleasing to watch when driving through the covers, his too numerous dismissals in the 20s, 30s and 40s seem doubly annoying.

Here, having added a couple of runs to the 22 banked yesterday, he pushed defensively forward at Ntini and edged a delivery that straightened off the pitch low to Graeme Smith at first slip.

Still, at least that early wicket meant another sellout crowd was not kept waiting long for the sight of man of the moment Pietersen (right) bounding onto centre stage.

A single to long leg - turned from just outside off stump - got him going and then, during Ntini's next over, he whipped two boundaries past mid-on in that unique style of his.

Off the field, England's new captain and the eccentric Andre Nel get along famously. On it, they waste no opportunity to try wind up one another - and there were at it today almost as soon as Nel replace Ntini.

First, the fast bowler produced a cracking delivery which underlined the fact there is still plenty of life in this pitch. Not far short of a good length, it took off and not only went past the shoulder of Pietersen's bat but was also still rising when keeper

Mark Boucher took it above his head.

Next ball, Pietersen defended stoutly. But that did not prevent Nel from throwing at the stumps, even though the batsman was secure ly in his ground. Red mist descending? Probably, especially with Pietersen then going down the pitch and tapping it with his bat when the bowler was waiting to unleash his next delivery.

Morkel, though, suffered more as

England's No4 twice pulled past square leg for boundaries that hastened the introduction of South Africa's fourth seamer, Jacques Kallis.

So far, so good for captain Pietersen. But while he revelled in the role of back-slapping, hand-clapping leader yesterday, everyone knows there will be tougher challenges to come.

"It's hard to say what Kevin's qualities as a captain are because he's only been doing the job for one day," said Steve Harmison, whose two wickets in two balls sparked South Africa's first innings demise. "I thought he did fantastically well yesterday. He's not done the job before so we need to help him, and I think a lot of us did.

"There were 11 leaders out there and some big men who stood up to be counted. Hopefully they will be counted for a long time to come."