Cricket: Pietersen ton in vain again; England crash to 4-1 defeat.

Byline: RICHARD GIBSON

KEVIN PIETERSEN last night conceded he would rather have been toasting an England win than his personal double award.

Another brilliant hundred from the 24- year old - his third of this one-day series - rescued an English innings going nowhere at the halfway stage and was enough for him to claim man- of the -match and man-of-the-series.

Ultimately, however, it was not sufficient to prevent South Africa securing a three-wicket victory for a 4-1 campaign success.

``We have got such a team spirit, just to see the smiles on the boys' faces when I have scored a hundred is fantastic, '' said South African-born Pietersen, who finished up with 454 runs in six innings against the hosts.

``It would be so much better to see those smiles, and drink a beer with all the boys, happy with a victory.

``I get a lot of personal satisfaction but I get more out of seeing people laughing, enjoying themselves. ''

If his maiden century in the tie at Bloemfontein was his most emotional contribution of the tour, this was the most superior, coming as it did from a position of crisis at 68-6.

It was the kind of innings, featuring mettle and muscle in equal measure, which should put him in line for a Test call this Ashes summer.

Everyone who witnessed it appreciated its merit, quite a contrast to the start of the seven match series when South Africans were intent on letting their ire at his defection be emphatically known.

Pietersen insisted: ``Today's knock was pretty special and it would rank up there as the best hundred I have ever scored.

``To turn the crowd around and have a standing ovation after the first walkout I had at the Wanderers was pretty special.

``Everyone is asking me about my desire to play Test cricket now but I do not select myself. I can only put my hand up for a place in the team by scoring some runs for my new team Hampshire. ''

His power hitting delivered six sixes to take his tally to 15 in the campaign and his overall scoring rate was better than a run-a-ball, qualities which impressed captain Michael Vaughan, who believes there can be a place for the bats man in the Test team.

``You have to be a very good player to do what he has just done, '' said Vaughan. ``He has come in and set the world alight with innings of unbelievable tempo in pressure situations.

``I am certainly happy he is in our team. Once you get him and Andrew Flintoff batting together in that middle period you'll see some fireworks. I don't see any reason why he shouldn't continue this form into Test cricket. ''

SUMMARY: Seventh One Day International, Centurion Park: England 240 (KP Pietersen 116) v South Africa 241-7 (A G Prince 62no). South Africa beat England by 3 wkts.

TODAY: Fifth Under-19 One Day International (1 day), Siliguri: India v England (03. 15).

CAPTION(S):

Kevin Pietersen proudly holds aloft his man of the match and man of the series awards yesterday