PORT ELIZABETH, Dec 21: England clinched a record eighth Test victory in a row on Tuesday as they beat South Africa by seven wickets in the first Test. Match winner Andrew Strauss (94 not out) hit the winning runs, cutting strike bowler Makhaya Ntini for a boundary, to put the touring side 1-0 up in the five-match series.

Fellow left-hander Graham Thorpe was 31 not out at the other end. England, chasing 142 to win after dismissing South Africa for 229 in their second innings, resumed on 93 for three, still needing 49, as dark clouds gathered around St George's.

Strauss led the way as England rattled up the runs in just under 10 overs on Tuesday morning. Strauss set the tone by smashing a six and a four off quick bowler Dale Steyn in the third ball of the day.

He made 126 in the first innings, meaning he had scored centuries on both his home and away debuts. England, who whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 and West Indies 4-0 at home before coming to South Africa, won seven consecutive Ttests between 1928 and 1929 under Percy Chapman.

Only four sides have won more Tests in a row, with Australia holding the world record of 16. The second Test of the five-match series starts on Sunday in Durban. Meanwhile, England captain Michael Vaughan warned his side against complacency after their victory over South Africa on Tuesday, saying they had played "shoddy" cricket during some phases of the first Test.

"It's been common in England teams that when we get on top we've allowed South Africa back into the game," Vaughan told a news conference. "Even in this game we had to have outstanding bowling and an outstanding catch to win."

England, who chased a target of 142, needed just 9.4 overs of the final day's play at Port Elizabeth to knock off the remaining 49 runs they required for a seven-wicket victory and their eighth win in succession.

But Vaughan had reservations. "Every time this team has had questions asked of its character we have answered them in the proper manner," Vaughan said. "But there were periods when we were shoddy, and that mustn't happen again."

Fast bowler Simon Jones had taken a spectacular catch to dismiss Jacques Kallis in South Africa's second innings on Monday and then claimed four for 39 as the home side lost their last five wickets for 28 runs.

"Simon is a dangerous threat when he gets the old ball, he gets reverse swing," Vaughan said. "South Africa will come at us hard in Durban (where the second Test starts on Sunday), and we will have to be up for the challenge." Vaughan said England's greater collective experience had been an important element at Port Elizabeth.

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