Kevin Pietersen continued the dream start to his reign as captain by hitting a brilliant century to put England in control of the final npower Test against South Africa.

England’s 78th Test captain became only the third in history to hit a century in his maiden innings in the post. He guided his new side into a 25-run lead before his dismissal, to leave England on 219 for four during the second day at the Brit Oval.

Pietersen walked to the crease in the first over of the day after Ian Bell fell to the fourth ball when he edged seamer Makhaya Ntini to South African captain Graeme Smith, who claimed a catch diving to his right at first slip. He began with a flurry of boundaries and hit nine fours in his first fifty and survived a couple of close escapes before bringing up his 14th Test century shortly before tea.

Pietersen’s first reprieve came when he had progressed to 52 as he mis-timed an attempted pull off Morne Morkel but Ntini was unable to collect the catch diving at full length in the deep. Ntini was also involved when Pietersen had progressed to 61 as he mis-timed an attempted drive off Andre Nel. Although this time Ntini got his hands to the ball, he was unable to collect as he dived at mid-on.

On the way to his hundred, Pietersen dominated useful partnerships with Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood which enabled England to overcome their shaky start. Resuming on 49 for one, having dismissed South Africa for a lowly 194 on the opening day, England were able to overcome the loss of Bell, with Cook helping Pietersen add 60 before falling just before lunch.

Tempted into pushing outside off stump when Ntini changed the angle by bowling wider from the crease, Cook gave a thin edge behind to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for 39. That brought in Collingwood, who hit a defiant century in the previous Test at Edgbaston.

Collingwood was aggressive during the early stages of his innings and hit a flurry of boundaries, including a one-handed pull for four off all-rounder Jacques Kallis. But his innings was overshadowed by Pietersen’s stunning century, which he brought up by clipping Ntini through mid-wicket for his 15th boundary shortly before tea.

His celebrations were cut short just two balls later, however, when he edged Ntini straight to Kallis at wide second slip to prevent him going on to make an even bigger contribution to England’s cause.