Even as hosts South Africa desperately hoped for a rub of magic to draw the series against England, the weather gods appeared merciless. The only activity in the middle involved pulling over and drawing back the cover-sheets over the pitch as rain poured relentlessly. Apart from it being a futile exercise for the umpires, the game for all cricketing purposes was washed out for day one at Super Sport Park, Centurion.

When play did eventually commence on the second day of the fifth and final Test, England won the toss and Michael Vaughan promptly inserted South Africa in. Twenty year-old Abraham de Villiers found himself in the same position he was in when the series started out. Even as Herschelle Gibbs departed early, de Villiers forged an eighty-seven run partnership with Jacques Rudolph and the youthful duo took South Africa past the hundred-mark with little difficulty as Steve Harmison lost his mark. Abraham de Villiers in particular looked secure in his opening role. His penchant for the cover drive was aptly on display, as were the occasional pull shots. That partnership would eventually prove to be the only sound contribution for the hosts.

Even as Jacques Rudolph perished to an impatient shot, the odds were slightly even at 187 for the loss of three wickets at tea. That soon changed as Abraham de Villiers found himself in the nervous nineties for the first time in his international career. An lbw decision off Ashley Giles put an end to his desperate dreams for a maiden Test century for the impressive lad. That also ended South Africa's hopes of putting up a more challenging total for the visitors, who are very much in the driver's seat, leading the series two-one. Andrew Flintoff fought a painful ankle and impending surgery while Simon Jones sprung back after being dropped for James Anderson at Johannesburg. The duo picked up four wickets apiece as South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals and were disappointingly placed at 247 for the loss of nine wickets when play was abruptly halted at the end of the second day's play.

South Africa added nothing to their overnight score on the third day but fought back even as the weather proved fickle and frustrating for the hosts for obvious reasons. While Marcus Trescothick was caught short of his crease by Nicky Boje, Michael Vaughan succumbed yet again to a horrendous pull shot. England's dressing room was challenging the gloomy conditions, looking down the barrel at twenty-nine for three. But Andrew Strauss and Graham Thorpe battled constant weather interruptions, highlighted by some spectacular lightning that drew gasps from the spectators, as well as some fiery confrontation by Andre Nel, who had been brought in for his aggressive mode in lieu of Dale Steyn from the previous Test at the Wanderers. As much as England would have liked to have drawn the day to a close with seven wickets intact, the eighty-five run partnership for the fourth wicket ended as Strauss, batting on forty-four, managed a thick edge to Mark Boucher off Nel. England finished the day at 114 for four, certainly an interesting state of events but with only two days left. The weather being as unpredictable as ever, South Africa will need nothing short of a miracle if they are to avoid conceding their first series defeat to England on their own soil since 1964.

Andrew Strauss, South Africa's biggest nightmare, is struck by an Andre Nel bouncer.