CRICKET:AT 6.10pm, in bright sunlight, Kevin Pietersen stood tall and smashed the second new ball through extra cover, a rare offside excursion, to spark the celebration of a remarkable century against the country of his birth, runs that had picked up England from the brink of disaster to the edge of domination on the opening day of what promises to be a tumultuous series.

Arriving at the crease with the innings suddenly floundering after a partnership of 114 between Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook had set the perfect foundation, he survived a run-out attempt second ball and a blow to the head as he ducked into a Dale Steyn bouncer, batting watchfully at first and expansively later.

He lasted for three and a half hours to finish the day unbeaten on 104 as England reached 309 for three.

This was his 13th Test hundred, a huge demonstration of willpower (how he must have dreamed of this innings) and his fourth at Lord's, on whose turf he now averages close to 80. If the South African pace attack was played with respect, then the spinner Paul Harris was treated with disdain, however. Turning pitches would do England no harm.

Thus far Pietersen has hit 13 fours and a six, but no less significant to the day was the contribution of Ian Bell, who shrugged off a burgeoning reputation for failure and batted quite serenely to make an unbeaten 75, with eight fours.

At first, while his partner settled in, he received some welcome half-volleys to send him on his way, and he promptly took the initiative.

Later, as Pietersen became irresistible, he was content to play his own game.

At a time when he needed runs as much as England did, Bell played the sort of innings which may prove to be the defining one of his career. Perhaps this was the day the young man grew up.

Together they have added an unbroken 192 for the fourth wicket, five short of England's record for the wicket against South Africa.

Were it not for a truly English collapse sandwiched between the two partnerships, South Africa would have been left ruing the decision to bowl even more than they would have in the close-of-play sanctuary of the dressing-room.

In the space of 13 deliveries - kick-started by a horrible decision from umpire Daryl Harper which disposed of Strauss when 44 - England lost both openers, Cook went for a scrappy 60, and their captain Michael Vaughan for the addition of three runs.

If England felt they were on the brink of total disintegration then they were a whisker away from making it a reality when Pietersen, not yet off the mark, embarked on yet another of his Red Bull-fuelled madcap runs.

Had Makhaya Ntini managed a direct hit from mid-on or Hashim Amla been able to gather cleanly, Pietersen would have been run out by the length of his bat. Might-have-beens do not take wickets. The ball missed, so did Amla, and Pietersen escaped to play a brilliantly constructed innings.

Bell looked settled from the first ball, which he caressed to the cover boundary before clipping another serenely through midwicket.

If he has flattered to deceive in the past he did not this time, and in the matter of a few overs he had lifted the doom-laden cloud that had once more hovered over an England first innings.

Guardian Service