England International

Kevin Pietersen started his England captaincy era with a win against South Africa and boldly predicted Ashes success.

Pietersen, 28, was named man of the match for the six-wicket victory in a dead rubber at the end of the npower series against South Africa at the Brit Oval.

Captaincy has immediately turned his thoughts to tougher tasks, however, and how he will shape his team for the challenge of meeting Australia over five Tests next summer.

His initial thoughts revolve around maintaining the attacking zest of fast bowler Steve Harmison in a five-man bowling unit.

"If we play like we played this week we will beat Australia," Pietersen said, on a day England dropped one place to fifth in the official Test rankings.

"But it is going to take a lot to do it.

"The structure, the players we've got, the type of attack we have now, the way we have gone about the game every single day, the emotions the guys showed, it is certainly not far away from a perfect start and the way I want to play the cricket in the future.

"I have done a lot of thinking over the last few days. "You do find yourself thinking about the game more and different scenarios.

"I have certainly done some thinking about Australia next year, a lot more than I would have when I was a player

"Because you want to get the structure right, so guys can play in certain positions, feel comfortable, know their role and deliver.

"It will be important over the next nine months to learn their roles and then deliver.

"My main driving force for this team is to be, every single day, up for the challenge of improving, having no comfort zones and testing the guys out to perform every single day.

"One area we will need to improve on is our batting, that is an area of concern and something we need to do."

Harmison, back for the Test summer finale after being axed for eight Tests, provided hostility with the new ball, claimed four top-order wickets and struck a career-best 49 not out.

"He came back in after a time out and he was magnificent," said Pietersen.

"When I told Steve he was playing, I told him I wanted him to bowl fast, to bowl straight and to be the old Steve Harmison.

"I gave him the extra responsibility of getting runs at nine. He said he would do his best and his best was good enough for me this week.

"We've seen this week how important he's going to be for us - he's a huge player.

"I am going to be looking after Steve as much as I can but also making sure I get the best out of him. I think I know the sort of ways to do it."

So highly does Pietersen value the Durham paceman, in fact, that he asked him to come out of one-day retirement at lunch on the fifth day, which England took at 109 without loss on their way to a 197-run target.

"He said he would see but the travel has always been the problem for Steve, being away from his family," Pietersen added.

"I respect the man for the decisions he makes but it would be lovely to have him coming in first change with the white ball. Having said that, you don't always get what you want."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith, a man who captained Harmison in a Test match in Australia three years ago, acknowledged that the old menace seemed to be back.

"Obviously they left Steve out for a reason and they wanted to see him prove himself, that he was worth bringing back," Smith said.

"If he bowls like he has bowled in this Test match then he is going to be an asset for England.

"He has a good record and if they are going to pick their team like this then he has got to play."

South Africa were presented with the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy for their first series win on these shores since 1965.

But the day belonged to England and Pietersen, who hit 100 in the first innings, and maintained South Africa's 13-game winless streak at The Oval.

"Whatever I say I don't want to take anything away from England's victory," Smith said.

"I think they were motivated and played the better cricket in the game."