Kevin Pietersen reached 50 in fine style today and then rode his luck as England aimed to take full command of the summer's final Test at the Brit Oval.

Pietersen had a happy introduction as captain 24 hours ago with South Africa being bowled out for 194. But he enjoyed himself just as much this afternoon while leading by example - completing a 79-ball half-century before twice being reprieved in the deep by fielder Makhaya Ntini.

And with Paul Collingwood moving into the 30s after a scare of his own, England had eclipsed South Africa's total with seven wickets still in hand and were in a position to at least end the npower series on a high.

Light rain delayed 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.

Here, having added a couple of runs to the 22 banked yesterday, he pushed defensively forward at Ntini and edged a delivery that left him a shade 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 to see man of the moment Pietersen.

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 to wind up one another - and they 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 plenty of life in this pitch. Not far short of a good length, it took off and was 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 securely 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 No 4 twice pulled past square leg for boundaries.

So far, so good for Pietersen. He could not have thought much of the last few minutes before lunch, though, as Cook gave his wicket away and then Collingwood almost did likewise.

The opener's mistake was to flash at a wide one from Ntini without moving his feet an inch, thereby edging a catch behind. As for Collingwood, he pushed the ball to midwicket and would have been a yard short of completing his first run if Neil McKenzie's throw had hit the target.

Still, after last week's career-reviving century at Edgbaston, Collingwood probably reckoned he could try just about anything. And he looked in fine fettle after the interval, repeatedly working Kallis through the leg side before unleashing a meaty pull against Ntini.

Pietersen still upstaged his partner, however, by reaching 50 with his ninth boundary - a wonderfully timed hoist to mid-wicket from outside off stump.

That probably would have been the extent of Pietersen's innings if Paul Harris, at deep square leg, rather than Ntini, at long leg, had laid claim to a topedged pull against Morkel. Instead, Ntini sprinted and then dived but still failed to get a finger on the ball when Harris could surely have got under the chance.