Pietersen can land a Key role

Many people believe Ian Bell should be first in line for any vacancy and the Warwickshire youngster is sure to push hard for the No3 spot shared recently by Mark Butcher and Rob Key.

But don't discount Pietersen as a middle-order challenger and the successor, sooner or later, to Graham Thorpe. The newcomer's technique in one-day cricket may not endear him to Test talent spotters, because he moves about his crease and regularly hits across the line.

But Pietersen seems more than talented enough to adapt his tactics to whatever the demands of the match in question.

What can be stated already, with absolute conviction, is that South Africa's loss has turned into England's huge gain. Michael Vaughan's one-day team were crying out for another explosive batsman and they have found one in the Pietermaritzburg-born righthander.

Pietersen has yet to play in the same side as Andrew Flintoff, but the prospect of them sharing a big-hitting partnership is a mouthwatering one.

Flintoff 's enforced absence from these games means England are operating with only four front-line bowlers; a state of affairs that should give South Africa an even chance of winning the series.

But the hosts go into tomorrow's third match, at Port Elizabeth, still a game down in the series.

South Africa had lost 12 of their previous 13 limited-overs internationals before yesterday's contest and a lack of conviction was there for all to see as they blew a wonderful opportunity to avenge Sunday's defeat in Johannesburg.

Graeme Smith's team wanted 34 runs from 27 deliveries with seven wickets in hand before Herschelle Gibbs fell to Matthew Hoggard.

Then, after Ali started the final over with a no ball that was hit for four, they somehow failed to score three runs from six balls.

It is quite hard to imagine Pietersen making a mess of such an equation.