Kirsten and Kallis give South Africa the edge

Gary Kirsten edged South Africa's nose in front in an intriguing two-horse race as they closed on 164 for 5 - a valuable lead of 199 - after England were dismissed for 307 soon after lunch on the third day of the fourth npower Test at Headingley.

As in the first innings, Kirsten was South Africa's main man as he and Jacques Kallis put on 97 - the highest third-wicket partnership for South Africa at Headingley - after Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith were both out lbw early on. Kirsten was his usual model of concentration, playing the ball late and despatching the bad balls in his five boundaries. He did get away with a faint glove down the leg side off Andrew Flintoff to Alec Stewart when on 38, but he put it out of his mind to reach his 30th Test fifty off 110 balls.

Kallis was much more assured than in the last Test at Trent Bridge and he slowly pressed down the accelerator with the odd boundary, including a pull for six off Flintoff and a dashing cover-drive off Martin Bicknell. He grew in authority and, ball by ball, the pair dashed England's early hopes when they had South Africa on the ropes at 31 for 2.

James Kirtley finally broke the record partnership when he had Kallis caught behind for a fighting 41. Kirtley moved a good-length ball slightly off the seam and Kallis nibbled a faint edge through to Stewart (128 for 3). Kabir Ali followed that with a fierce inducker that trapped Kirsten plumb in front of middle for an authoritative 60 (139 for 4). There was a spring in England's step, as there had been when Kirtley nailed Gibbs lbw in the third over and when Bicknell did for Smith soon after. Trying to whip one through the leg side (no surprise there), Smith missed a full straight one (31 for 2).

Jacques Rudolph then perished with three overs to go when caught at short leg by Ed Smith off James Anderson (160 for 5), but Neil McKenzie and Mark Boucher hung on till the end of another fluctuating day's play. Despite England's late fightback, South Africa will feel it is theirs, especially after Makhaya Ntini and Andrew Hall, with a bit of help from Rudolph, wrapped up England's first innings for 307. Flintoff was again to the fore with a bludgeoning 55, but England lost their last five wickets for 47 runs, meaning South Africa held a precious first-innings lead of 35.

Rudolph picked up a wicket - an important one - with only his second ball in Test cricket. He lured Nasser Hussain into the drive with a beauty of a leg-break. The ball drifted towards leg side and dipped just before Hussain chipped it straight back to Rudolph (261 for 6).

Flintoff proceeded to hammer a brisk 55 with four fours and three sixes, again demonstrating why he is such a pivotal member of the side. He did his best to wrest control back from South Africa with his crashing boundaries, including a huge six over square leg off Ntini to bring up his fifty. But after Hussain fell and the new ball was taken, Flintoff ran out of partners. Bicknell was bowled by Ntini (289 for 7) and Kabir Ali and Kirtley then both poked Hall to Boucher.

Kallis earlier got South Africa off to the perfect start when Smith edged him to Boucher the very first ball of the day (197 for 4). Stewart then played the grafting role his team needed until he pulled Dewald Pretorius to Hall at square leg (239 for 5). Batting wasn't easy, but Hussain stood firm. Leaving anything wide of off stump he waited for the bad ball and relied on timing rather than power. It was another perfectly-paced innings from Hussain until he fell to Rudolph in the second over after lunch.