England won a dramatic third Test against South Africa by 70 runs, taking the last five wickets early on the final day to level the series at 1-1.

Debutant fast bowler James Kirtley was England's hero on Monday, completing figures of six for 34 on a deteriorating pitch to give Michael Vaughan his first victory as captain in his second match in charge.

Kirtley, named man of the match, sealed the win by having Mark Boucher caught by wicketkeeper Alec Stewart for a defiant 52.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet, but I'm sure when we get back to the dressing room we'll see how important the win is," said Kirtley.

"I had to keep hitting it in the right areas and fortunately the wickets fell."

Vaughan said: "For James to bowl as well as he did on his debut was fantastic. It was a good a toss to win, but we exploited the conditions fantastically."

England amassed 445 in their first innings before a fine low-order performance allowed South Africa to score 362. England were dismissed for 118 in their second knock, leaving South Africa a target of 202 for victory.

South Africa resumed on 63 for five and Boucher and Neil McKenzie survived the first five overs from Andrew Flintoff and Kirtley without undue alarm.

Kirtley, named man of the match, struck first in the day's sixth over, bowling McKenzie for 11 with a ball that kept low.

Flintoff then bowled Shaun Pollock for a duck, the ball rising no more than a few inches off the Trent Bridge pitch before crashing into the all rounder's stumps.

Andrew Hall fell first ball when he slashed Kirtley high to Marcus Trescothick, who held a sharp catch to his right to leave South Africa reeling at 81 for eight.

Boucher and Paul Adams added 45 for the ninth wicket, frustrating England with a mixture of watchful defence and bold attacking strokes. Adams was badly dropped by Mark Butcher at second slip off Kirtley.

Boucher reached his fifty from 85 balls, batting for over two hours and hitting seven fours, but he lost Adams when the diminutive spinner spooned a simple return catch to Kirtley for 15.

Boucher then edged another Kirtley outswinger to Stewart, prompting wild celebrations among the England players, who will travel to Leeds in good heart for the fourth of five Tests at Headingley starting on Thursday.

Pollock will miss the fourth Test to fly home and attend the birth of his first child.

Scoreboard

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

South Africa (1st innings): 362 (N.McKenzie 90, S.Pollock 62; J.Anderson 5-102)

England (2nd innings): 118 (S.Pollock 6-39)

South Africa (2nd innings) overnight 63-5:
G.Smith lbw b Kirtley 5
H.Gibbs c Giles b Harmison 28
J.Rudolph lbw b Kirtley 0
J.Kallis b Anderson 13
B.Dippenaar c Smith b Anderson 1
N.McKenzie b Kirtley 11
M.Boucher c Stewart b Kirtley 52
S.Pollock b Flintoff 0
A.Hall c Trescothick b Kirtley 0
P.Adams c & b Kirtley 15
M.Ntini not out 3

Extras: (lb-2 nb-1) 3

Total: (all out, 56.2 overs) 131

Fall of wickets: 1-22 2-28 3-40 4-41 5-50 6-71 7-80 8-81 9-126

Bowling: Kirtley 16.2-7-34-6, Flintoff 17-4-54-1, Harmison 11-2-24-1, Anderson 12-4-17-2