LONDON, Aug 9: Rain and a fine innings by Hashim Amla slowed England’s progress on the third day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at The Oval on Saturday.

Amla made 71 not out as South Africa reached 110 for two in their second innings, still 12 behind England’s first innings total.

No play was possible between lunch and tea after only 17.5 overs were played before the lunch break.

Amla was the mainstay of the South African innings, reaching a half-century off 64 balls with ten crisply-struck boundaries.

When rain stopped play eight minutes before the scheduled lunch break he had faced 86 balls and hit 14 fours.

In gloomy conditions, overnight batsmen Neil McKenzie and Amla made steady progress against some wayward bowling from Steve Harmison and James Anderson.

They took the total from the overnight 37 for one to 82 before the first bowling change of the day brought success.

Stuart Broad replaced Anderson and with his fourth delivery bowled McKenzie off an inside edge for 29.

Andrew Flintoff came on for Harmison and was punched through the covers off the back foot as Amla reached his fifty.

Amla had an escape on 58 when an attempted drive against Flintoff flew off an inside edge. Wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose flung himself to his left but could not hold a difficult chance.

Jacques Kallis, disappointing with the bat this tour despite South Africa’s series win, their first in England since 1965, was two not out at the interval.

South Africa, who hold a winning 2-0 lead in the series, lost their skipper Graeme Smith in the very first over of their second innings on Friday.

Earlier South Africa fought back after tea, capturing six wickets for 84 runs despite a lively cameo from recalled Harmison.

The Durham paceman followed up Thursday’s fine bowling display with 49, his highest Test score, and shared a 53-run ninth-wicket partnership with Anderson (13).

A spell of three for 15 from Kallis after tea removed Flintoff (9), Paul Collingwood (61) and Ambrose (4).

Flintoff, plagued by injury this year, came to the crease after Kevin Pietersen departed for 100 and hit a straight six down the ground but was then caught behind in the first over after tea.

Ambrose lasted only 14 minutes before sending a catch to Smith and Collingwood was caught and bowled by Kallis when the ball ballooned off the shoulder of his bat.

Ntini took his fifth wicket, completing his 18th five-wicket haul in Tests, when Broad (1) offered a catch to McKenzie.

It was Harmison who put England in pole position late in the day, flaying the bowling with his unorthodox attacking shots.

He missed out on his half century when Anderson was out lbw padding up to a straight ball and last man Monty Panesar was run out attempting to get Harmison his 50.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 194.

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

A.J. Strauss c Smith b Ntini 6

A.N. Cook c Boucher b Ntini 39

I.R. Bell c Smith b Ntini 24

K.P. Pietersen c Kallis b Ntini 100

P.D. Collingwood c and b Kallis 61

A. Flintoff c Boucher b Kallis 9

T.R. Ambrose c Smith b Kallis 4

S.C.J. Broad c McKenzie b Ntini 1

S.J. Harmison not out 49

J.M. Anderson lbw b Harris 13

M.S. Panesar run out 0

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-1, NB-5) 10

TOTAL (all out, 95.2 overs) 316

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-51, 3-111, 4-219, 5-233, 6-241, 7-248, 8-263, 9-316.

BOWLING: Morkel 22-3-78-0 (4nb); Ntini 24-3-94-5; Nel 19.2-5-56-0; Kallis 15-2-51-3 (1w); Harris 15-4-33-1 (1nb).

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings, overnight 37-1):

G.C. Smith lbw b Anderson 0

N.D. McKenzie b Broad 29

H.M. Amla not out 71

J.H. Kallis not out 2

EXTRAS (B-6, NB-2) 8

TOTAL (for two wkts, 26.5 overs) 110

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-82.

BOWLING (to-date): Anderson 8-2-31-1 (1nb); Harmison 9-0-34-0; Flintoff 5-0-29-0 (1nb), Panesar 1-1-0-0, Broad 3.5-2-10-1.—Agencies