International Cricket

Steve Harmison inspired England's best bowling performance of the summer under Kevin Pietersen's leadership.

The 29-year-old fast bowler has infuriated nearly every England captain he has ever played for, frustrating them for his knack of mixing brilliant spells with equally wayward performances.

Nasser Hussain attempted encouragement, while Michael Vaughan managed to inspire the most consistent cricket of Harmison's Test career before finally losing faith and dropping him earlier this year for a lacklustre display against New Zealand in Hamilton.

But newly-installed captain Kevin Pietersen gained instant rewards simply by talking Harmison up in the build-up to their final Test of the summer at The Oval - and trusting him with the new ball for the first time since last summer.

It was a simple formula for handling Harmison, but brilliantly effective on the first big day for England's 78th Test captain with the Durham spearhead claiming two for 49 to inspire a South African collapse to 194 all out.

England progressed to 49 for one by the close of the first day with Pietersen proclaiming his first day in charge a success - particularly after he had to recover from two early setbacks.

Hoping to start strongly, Pietersen instead suffered during the early stages after losing his first toss and then watching South Africa's openers ride their luck to establish a good platform for a competitive first-innings total.

He could not have asked for a better first over from Harmison, who should have had a wicket with his opening ball with South Africa captain Graeme Smith cutting straight to Alastair Cook in the gully only for him to fumble a regulation catch.

Wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose also had reason to remember that eventful first over when he failed to collect Harmison's sixth ball and got a painful blow in the mouth as his reward.

Frustrating as it may have been, however, England and Pietersen would also have been encouraged by the pace and bounce generated by Harmison, which would eventually prove the catalyst for South Africa's stunning collapse.

That early miss was not the only fumble by Cook, who failed to collect a far more difficult chance at third slip diving to his left when Smith edged all-rounder Andrew Flintoff behind on 26.

Smith was brilliantly fluent in scoring an unbeaten 154 at Edgbaston last Saturday to secure South Africa's third-Test triumph and series victory, but struggled throughout his 149-minute innings here.

He was fortunate to edge Flintoff just short of Paul Collingwood at second slip on 28, but played his part in a determined 56-run opening stand which was only ended when Neil McKenzie edged the Lancashire all-rounder to Cook at third slip.

Cook also missed Hashim Amla shortly after lunch off Flintoff at third slip, but that was England's last slip-up of the afternoon session with Harmison inspiring the tourists' capitulation.

Captain Smith had battled to within four runs of his half-century and perhaps decided to hit his way out of his slump, electing to pull a short delivery from Harmison from outside off stump but only succeeding in getting a top edge which flew to James Anderson at long-leg.

It was the key wicket and began a collapse of five wickets for 28 runs in 63 balls, starting with the next delivery which took out Amla's middle stump and gave England the momentum.

Matched for his hostility by Anderson at the other end, the Lancastrian struck in the next over with a brilliant inswinger which trapped Jacques Kallis lbw and worried Ashwell Prince to such a degree he played a loose drive straight to point.

Having witnessed the capacity of South Africa's middle order to mount frustrating recoveries more than once this summer, Anderson's breakthrough to remove Mark Boucher was particularly significant when he edged behind shortly before tea.

Pietersen, who had earlier stamped his own mark on the captaincy by abolishing the pitch huddle preferred under Vaughan's reign, must have realised it was going to be his day when he brought on left-arm spinner Monty Panesar in the final over before tea and watched him win a generous lbw appeal against AB de Villiers with his third ball.

Stuart Broad continued South Africa's collapse with two quick wickets after tea, but England were frustrated by a stubborn 22-run last-wicket stand between Paul Harris and Makhaya Ntini.

The new captain tried all four of his seamers - including Flintoff running in with a borrowed boot from Harmison to relieve the pain he was suffering with his left big toe - but was unable to break their stand until Panesar returned and bowled Ntini with his fifth ball.

Hoping to make a statement in the 17 overs remaining, England instead lost another early wicket with Andrew Strauss edging Ntini to Smith at first slip.

But Ian Bell, promoted up to his favoured number-three spot under the new regime, responded to the extra responsibility superbly to forge an unbroken 42-run partnership with Cook which sets the stage for England to dominate the first match of the Pietersen era.