England still held a narrow advantage in the third Test after fluctuating fortunes on Saturday, bowling out South Africa for 362 to secure a lead of 83 before controversially losing Marcus Trescothick to the first ball of their second innings.

The hosts had looked likely to be in a far stronger position when James Kirtley claimed two wickets in the day's first over to reduce the touring side to 88 for four, and the South Africans were indebted to gutsy innings by Neil McKenzie (90) and Mark Boucher (48) for keeping them in the game.

McKenzie and Boucher batted through the afternoon session to take their team past the follow-on target of 246 before Shaun Pollock's quickfire 62 left them with realistic hopes of protecting their 1-0 lead in the series.

The likelihood of a South Africa win increased with what became the final ball of the day when Trescothick was given out caught at short leg by Paul Adams off Pollock.

Television replays suggested the batsman had been unfortunate.

The day had started so brightly for England when Kirtley, on his Test debut, removed Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar with his fifth and sixth deliveries.

Rudolph edged a catch to wicketkeeper Alec Stewart for 15 and Dippenaar was adjudged lbw to a ball that cut back into him, though replays suggested it may have missed leg stump.

Jacques Kallis, dropped by Stewart in Kirtley's second over, and McKenzie steadied the ship with a partnership of 44 that was ended by James Anderson, who ended with five wickets.

The young seamer bowled Kallis for 27 when the all rounder raised his bat to leave the ball and watched helplessly as it cut back and kept low before cannoning into his off stump.

Steve Harmison caused a few problems for McKenzie and Boucher with his steep bounce, but the pair took their side to 167 for five at lunch.

HANDSOME STROKES

McKenzie played a number of handsome strokes through the covers, while the feisty Boucher combined dogged defence with the odd lusty attacking shot as the pair survived the second new ball comfortably.

The 27-year-old McKenzie, playing his first match of the series in place of the injured Gary Kirsten, was 10 runs short of his third century in his 31st Test when he drove loosely at a wide ball from Anderson and edged a comfortable catch to Trescothick at first slip.

Boucher fell soon afterwards when Andrew Flintoff pinned him back on his stumps and Anderson bowled Andrew Hall through the gate for 15.

Pollock batted beautifully, striking Anderson for three successive fours, played several fluent attacking shots and Adams made a useful 13 before he was also bowled by Anderson.

Pollock reached his fifty from 70 balls, including eight fours, before becoming Anderson's fifth victim when he mis-timed a pull to Kirtley at mid-on.

Anderson's figures were five for 102 from 27.5 overs, his second five-wicket haul in his fifth Test. Kirtley took two for 80, Flintoff two for 91 and Harmison one for 42.

Scoreboard

England (1st innings): 445 (N.Hussain 116, M.Butcher 106, A.Stewart 72, E.Smith 64)

South Africa (1st innings): (overnight 84-2)
G.Smith hit wicket b Flintoff 35
H.Gibbs b Harmison 19
J.Rudolph c Stewart b Kirtley 15
J.Kallis b Anderson 27
B.Dippenaar lbw Kirtley 0
N.McKenzie c Trescothick b Anderson 90
M.Boucher lbw Flintoff 48
S.Pollock c Kirtley b Anderson 62
A.Hall b Anderson 15
P.Adams b Anderson 13
M.Ntini not out 4.
Extras (b-4, lb-19, w-3, nb-8) 34:
Total 362

Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-66, 3-88, 4-88, 5-132, 6-261, 7-284, 8-309, 9-337

Bowling: Anderson 27.5-4-102-5, Kirtley 31-8-80-2, Flintoff 33-8-91-2, Harmison 17-3-42-1, Giles 10-3-24-0, Vaughan 1-1-0-0

England (2nd innings):
M.Trescothick c Adams b Pollock 0
M.Vaughan not out 0
Extras 0
Total (for one wicket) 0

Fall of wicket: 1-0

Bowling: Pollock 0.1-0-0-1