Andrew Flintoff hit an undefeated 78 and then took two wickets against South Africa to spur England to a 126-run win and a one-day international series victory at The Oval today.
England earned an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, and handed South Africa its first limited-overs series defeat since losing 5-0 to Sri Lanka in 2004.
Kevin Pietersen, who has not lost a game since taking over the England captaincy from Michael Vaughan this month, said his teammates performed "absolutely brilliantly."
"I couldn't ask anything more from them," Pietersen said. "We're improving every single game, fulfilling every ounce of potential."
Set an imposing 297 for victory, South Africa stuttered to 170 all out in 42.4 overs with Hashim Amla making 46, the only score over 20. Flintoff grabbed 2-28 and Samit Patel took 5-41.
Apart from Amla - who opened the innings in place of injured captain Graeme Smith - South Africa never looked likely to chase down the target.
Proteas coach Mickey Arthur admitted he was "hugely disappointed, but not at all surprised that England has completely outplayed us."
"We bowled very poorly out there," Arthur said. "We didn't bowl well up front and that set the tone for the innings. Yes, the guys are tired but that's no excuse. We have to improve."
Herschelle Gibbs fell in the seventh over for 12 and South Africa then lost wickets too regularly to sustain a challenge.
Albie Morkel blasted Patel for two enormous sixes to give the tourists some faint hope of an unlikely victory before the spinner latched on to a difficult return catch.
Patel also hung on to a catch when running backward to dismiss Jacques Kallis, South Africa's stand-in captain, for 9.
Patel also dismissed Albie Morkel's brother Morne for 6, Mark Boucher for 19, Johan Botha for 17 and Makhaya Ntini for a duck.
England's formidable tally was founded on Ian Bell's 73 and Flintoff's 77-ball knock. The blond allrounder struck nine fours and a six over wide long on off Dale Steyn.
For South Africa, offspinner Johan Botha took 2-35 in nine overs.
England was put into bat first, and was threatening to score closer to 350 after some ferocious hitting from openers Bell and Matt Prior. The pair raced to 50 in 45 balls and reached 101 in 15.1 overs. Bell, who benefited initially from two edged fours in a single Ntini over, was particularly severe on anything loose.
He drove crisply and repeatedly through the off side and brought up his 15th ODI half-century from 36 balls, which included 10 fours and a straight six off Ntini.
Having put on a century stand with Bell, Prior miscued a hook off Albie Morkel to be caught at cover by a diving Gibbs for 33. Prior's departure put a brake on the frantic scoring, and Botha then trapped Bell leg before wicket for 73 off 77 balls.
Kallis then accounted for both Owais Shah for 23 and Pietersen for 5 as the host lost three wickets for 11 runs.
Paul Collingwood and Flintoff revived the innings with a stand of 27 for the fifth wicket before Botha removed Collingwood for 14.
Flintoff, however, continued to bat positively and put on 74 off 70 balls with Patel, in the latter's first innings for England. Apart from being struck on the helmet by a Morne Morkel bouncer, Flintoff rarely looked troubled. He waltzed down the wicket to both South African openers and reached his 18th ODI half-century from 56 balls.
Patel made an entertaining 31 in 33 balls before he was bowled by Ntini attempting a square cut.
