England, who lost the toss, closed on 49-1 following the loss of Andrew Strauss, caught at first slip by Graeme Smith off Makhaya Ntini for seven. Alastair Cook was 20 not out and Ian Bell was unbeaten on 22.

England are seeking a win to regain some pride after losing the series at Edgbaston last week, a day before Michael Vaughan  quit the captaincy after five years and opened the position up for the South Africa-born Pietersen.

Pietersen began the day by having his twelfth man Ravi Bopara taken to hospital with a suspected broken finger after catching practice (x-rays cleared any fracture) and he then lost the toss. His misfortune seemed to continue when Cook dropped Smith off the first ball of the match – bowled by Steve Harmison - and then again twice later.

But a rejuvenated Harmison, looking cheerful and bowling with a renewed technique that helped him bowl straighter than his former line that slanted the ball down the leg side of the right-hander, troubled Smith and the South Africa batsmen throughout the day. He struck Smith in his groin in the first over and forced him to lie on his back while he recovered.

Nonetheless, South Africa rode their luck and managed to reach 56 without loss in the 20th over until Neil McKenzie was caught by Cook at second slip off Andrew Flintoff. The fall of Smith after lunch sparked a collapse that saw the Proteas crash from 103-1 to 132-6. Harmison began the damage by having Smith caught at long leg for 46 and next ball he bowled Hashim Amla with a 93 miles per hour delivery.

Much credit will be given to Pietersen for his team talk at lunch, while another visible difference to England’s display saw the infamous ‘huddle’ – where the team form a circle and exhibit their unity for the sake of the cameras and spectators - was scrapped. As he showed at lunch, why the need for any more hollow words having plotted the remainder of the day’s play for 40 minutes at the interval.