England forced to review their hopes

South Africa continue their total dominance of the final Test which they will win unless the weather prevents them from doing so.

After three extraordinary Test matches, this series-decider is turning into something of an anti-climax. South Africa yesterday continued their total dominance of a final Test they will win unless the weather prevents them from doing so. Sixty-nine overs were possible on a day when rain intervened again, with Graeme Smith declaring on 423 for seven, a lead of 243, before England crashed to 48 for three at the close.

Mark Boucher set up the declaration with a fine 95 but the match continued to be marred by controversy. Daryl Harper, the TV umpire, was once again at the heart of it. He overturned Tony Hill's decision to rule AB de Villiers out on 11 who was caught by James Anderson at leg slip sweeping Graeme Swann, despite evidence suggesting he had gloved the ball on to his pad before the ball looped up round the corner.

De Villiers only made 47 more runs but it once again brought the new Umpire Decision Review System into sharp focus. But while England continued to complain about it, South Africa got on with the job in hand. A morning of high drama had started in fine style for England, as they took three wickets for 20 runs. They immediately got Hashim Amla (75) in the second over of the day, with Matt Prior taking a fine catch diving in front of slip off Stuart Broad.

England then had the in-form Jacques Kallis out for just seven. Ryan Sidebottom got a wicked delivery to bounce off the pitch and Anderson took a sensational diving catch at gully. The out of sorts JP Duminy followed soon after, edging Swann to Paul Collingwood at first slip. It was the fourth time in the series Swann had picked up the left-hander. After de Villiers saw his first referral wrongly overturned by Harper, he was given a second let-off two overs later when Hill ruled him out lbw to Swann. But Harper ruled - probably correctly this time - that the ball had hit the South African No 5 outside the line of off stump.

De Villiers and Boucher compounded England's misery by tearing into their forlorn attack who failed to make the most of the second new ball. Boucher was particularly aggressive but he also benefited from the referral system, with Harper correctly ruling a ball from Swann, which hit him on the pads, would have gone over the stumps. And South Africa were, astonishingly, given another lifeline just before lunch when England, who by now used up all their referrals, had a very good appeal for a caught behind, against Boucher, turned down.

Boucher hit consecutive loose Swann deliveries to the boundary just after the break but Broad then got the wicket of de Villiers for 58 - caught by Paul Collingwood at mid-on - to end the 120-run sixth-wicket partnership. Rain delayed proceedings by an hour and 10 minutes in the afternoon but Boucher and debutant Ryan McLaren (33 not out) then continued to take the game away from England. Boucher smashed Sidebottom for consecutive fours but eventually fell five short of his hundred, top-edging Swann to Jonathan Trott in the deep.

It ended a fine 118-ball knock and Smith soon declared to allow Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn to continue where their batsmen had left off in the first innings. The fiery opening spell worked a treat as Alastair Cook fell for just one, edging Morkel to Smith at first slip before Jonathan Trott, who made just eight, was caught by de Villiers at second slip off the prolific Steyn . Despite a brief break for bad light, South Africa's total dominance continued, with Wayne Parnell picking up his first Test wicket, that of Andrew Strauss (22) lbw despite an unsuccessful referral attempt by the England captain.

Poor light finally forced the players off for the night - but it will surely only delay the inevitable conclusion. [e-mail] South Africa v England, Day Four, 12pm start, Showsports 3