On a rain-affected first day when only 32 overs were bowled, the tourists won the toss and bowled first with Anrich Nortjé claiming three for 43 to help reduce the hosts to 116 for six when play ended early.

It was a real statement performance by Dean Elgar and his charges, although they would have hoped for more time in the middle in order to have finished off the job against an England team riding high on confidence.

Instead they had to settle for the six wickets that they bagged. The fit-again Kagiso Rabada started the job for them by bowling with intent and grabbing two for 36, while Marco Jansen (1/18) and Lungi Ngidi (0/12) were also highly impressive.

On an overcast morning, the visitors were bolstered by the return of Rabada after injury and the kingpin fast bowler struck as early as the third over when he drew an edge from Alex Lees to Kyle Verreynne for five.

Zak Crawley (9) was next to go when he edged the South African paceman to Aiden Markram at second slip leaving the score on 25 for two.

Marco Jansen was introduced to the attack in the 12th over and he was amongst the wickets with just his 11th delivery, trapping England’s senior batsman Joe Root leg before wicket for eight.

A fiery Nortjé bowled the in-form Jonny Bairstow for a duck as the hosts slumped to 55 for four, before an attacking partnership between Ben Stokes (20) and Ollie Pope, who hit an unbeaten 61 off 87 balls (4 fours), took the total to 100 just on the stroke of lunch.

But the captain was squared up by Nortjé and fell from the final ball of the session and the same bowler added the scalp of Ben Foakes (6) to his list after the interval.

The players were forced off two balls later as the rain began to fall, with South Africa well on top.

The adverse weather conditions mean that 98 overs will be bowled on each of the next four days with the play time extended until 18h30.