South Africa claim series win over England

The South African captain Graeme Smith hit an unbeaten 154 to lead his side to victory in the Test series over England.

The jubilant South Africans congratulate the captain Graeme Smith following his unbeaten 154.

BIRMINGHAM // Graeme Smith played one of the great rearguard innings as South Africa chased 281 to win the third Test by five wickets and capture their first series win in England for 43 years. The South Africa captain finished unbeaten on 154 at Edgbaston after putting on 112 for the sixth wicket with Mark Boucher (45 not out), who came in with the team in trouble at 171-5. Smith finished the game with a pull shot through midwicket off part-time offspinner Kevin Pietersen, holding his arms aloft in triumph as South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. Resuming after tea on 111-4, Smith survived an excellent leg-before-wicket shout from Monty Panesar when he shouldered arms to a sharply spinning delivery. Despite cutting and driving powerfully and hooking fiercely, Smith rode his luck at times, beating a run out opportunity on 78 when Ian Bell fumbled the wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose's throw with the captain short of his ground. Smith then gloved a catch on 85 to Ambrose off Panesar, but the English fielders half-hearted appeal left umpire Aleem Dar with little option but to give the batsman the benefit of the doubt.

AB de Villiers and Smith added 78 before Paul Collingwood caught de Villiers at first slip for 27 off Panesar to leave the tourists on 171-5. But Smith and Boucher set about grinding down the England attack to claim a famous victory. Earlier, England were dismissed for 363 with Paul Collingwood virtually saving his Test career by scoring 135 after the team had resumed on 297-6. England had a bad start when Ambrose was bowled by Morne Morkel on the second ball of the day for 19. Ambrose and Collingwood had added 76 for the seventh wicket and the wicketkeeper's departure brought Ryan Sidebottom in. Collingwood and Sidebottom continued to frustrate the South Africa bowlers by compiling a 65-run partnership, before Sidebottom became Morkel's second victim of the morning when he gloved a catch to Hashim Amla at short leg. James Anderson was bowled by Jaques Kallis for 1, and Collingwood was out when his cut shot at Morkel was edged to Boucher. Smith and Neil McKenzie had to face a tricky 20-minute spell before lunch as South Africa came into bat, taking the score to 11-0. England then took four wickets in the second session for only 28 runs to leave the Proteas on 111-4 at tea, still requiring 170 for victory. McKenzie and Smith had made good progress to reach 65-0 with few alarms. But Andrew Flintoff struck when McKenzie lost sight of a yorker that caught him flush on the toe and umpire Steve Davis gave him out lbw for 22. Panesar then trapped Amla in front for 6, before Kallis on 5 became the third lbw victim of the innings when he also lost sight of Flintoff's full toss and was hit on the thigh. Kallis stood his ground in disbelief, but Davis raised his finger to leave South Africa on 83-3. Ashwell Prince made 2 before James Anderson slanted a ball across to have him caught behind by Tim Ambrose to leave the tourists on 93-4.

The fourth Test starts on Thursday at The Oval in London. South Africa won the second Test at Headingley by 10 wickets last week after the first match at Lord's was drawn. *AP