The home side, chasing England's 270 for five and hoping to level the seven-match series at 1-1, looked firm favourites on 263 for five and needing eight to win off fast bowler Kabir Ali's final six balls.

The over had started with the home side needing eight runs with five wickets in hand. Ali bowled a high full toss which was called no-ball and hit for four by Boucher.

But Boucher hit the next ball, another full toss, to Ashley Giles at deep mid-wicket.

Shaun Pollock took a single but Ashwell Prince was run out off the first ball he faced as he fed the strike back to Pollock. Another single from Pollock left new batsman Andrew Hall facing the last delivery.

Ali bowled it full and just outside off stump, Hall missed and Geraint Jones made a stumping as Hall stepped out of his crease.

Ali's first seven overs had cost 49 runs.

The result meant England stayed 1-0 ahead in the seven-match series.

Jacques Kallis (63) and Herschelle Gibbs (78) had put on 134 for the third South African wicket to give their side a chance of victory.

Gibbs passed 5,000 runs in one-day international cricket but the home side still needed 82 off the last 10 overs and 36 off five.

Gibbs fell to a fine catch by Darren Gough at backward square leg off Matthew Hoggard but Justin Kemp, Boucher and Pollock waded with some big hitting at the death before their hopes were dashed by Ali.

Earlier, powerful right-hander Kevin Pietersen, born in South Africa before moving to England to improve his chances of international cricket, scored an unbeaten maiden century, finishing on 108 from 96 balls.

Many of the spectators, in an orchestrated move, had turned their backs on Pietersen as he walked back to the pavilion after his innings.

Pietersen came in with England struggling on 67 for three and he and Vaughan consolidated with a stand of 80 off 110 balls.

Vaughan was watchful in scoring his 42 off 82 deliveries, before he was run out by AB de Villiers attempting a second run to third man.

Paul Collingwood made a brisk 40 in a partnership of 92 with Pietersen, whose unbeaten 108 included six fours and two sixes.

England go into the third game of the seven-match series on Friday in Port Elizabeth.