South Africa collapse puts England on course for Lord's win

London (AFP) - South Africa suffered a top-order slump after inflicting a collapse on England to leave the hosts well-placed for victory in the first Test at Lord's on Sunday.

The Proteas were 25 for three in their second innings at tea on the fourth day, needing a further 306 runs to reach their imposing victory target of 331.

Only once, when the West Indies made 344 for one against England in 1984 thanks mainly to Gordon Greenidge's brilliant double century, have a side posted more than 300 in the fourth innings to win a Lord's Test.

South Africa's hopes of achieving a similar feat now appeared to rest with Hashim Amla, the star batsman 11 not out at tea after JP Duminy was out to the last ball before the interval.

Bairstow's day

The day was turning into a triumph for England's Jonny Bairstow, who had starred with both bat and gloves.

He made a valuable 51 after being dropped on seven before he was last man out in England's second innings 233.

While Bairstow, the son of late former England wicket-keeper David Bairstow, has often been praised for his batting, his glovework has attracted criticism.

South Africa's Morne Morkel celebrates the wicket of England's Gary Ballance on the fourth day of the first Test against England at Lord's on July 9, 2017

But he held a catch of which England wicket-keeping great Alan Knott would have been proud to dismiss Heino Kuhn when he dived low down the legside to grab a left-handed chance following the opener's glance off James Anderson.

Kuhn was out for nine, his second single figure score of a disappointing Test debut.

And South Africa's 12 for one became 12 for two when stand-in skipper Dean Elgar (two) drilled a return catch to off-spinner Moeen Ali who hung on to the hard-hit chance.

Duminy then hammered a pull off Mark Wood and Ali held a good catch at short midwicket.

It represented a remarkable turnaround for England who, after resuming well-placed on 119 for one, lost seven wickets in the morning session to be 182 for eight at lunch.

Former captain Alastair Cook was 59 not out overnight and Gary Ballance unbeaten on 34.

The pair found runs hard to come by against a South Africa attack now back to full strength with Vernon Philander returning after being unable bowl Saturday having been hit on the hand while batting.

Cook, in his first Test since resigning the captaincy had added just 10 runs to his score when he drove uppishly at fast bowler Morne Morkel and was well caught in the covers by Temba Bavuma.

Ballance hung his bat out and was caught behind for 34 as the towering Morkel took two wickets for one run in 10 balls.

Joe Root, fresh from his first innings 190 in his first Test as England captain, fell for just five when, having seen Keshav Maharaj turn one sharply, he played on to a straighter ball from the left-arm spinner.

Ben Stokes (one) was then so plumb lbw to fast bowler Kagiso Rabada he 'walked' before the umpire's finger was raised.

Elgar, leading the side in the absence of Faf du Plessis on paternity leave, then jokingly ran across to put his hand over the bowler's mouth -- with Rababa banned from next week's second of a four-Test series at Trent Bridge for swearing at Stokes after dismissing him in England's first innings.

Rabada meanwhile put a finger to his lips to indicate he too would remain silent this time.

Bairstow then lofted Maharaj to long-off, where Philander dropped a seemingly simple catch under grey skies.

The ball also crossed the boundary rope -- one of four fours in five balls that Bairstow struck off Maharaj.

But tailender Wood (28), who hit well-struck boundaries off both Maharaj and Morkel, helped Bairstow add 45 for the ninth wicket.

Bairstow fell when he was stumped by opposing keeper Quinton de Kock slogging at Maharaj, who finished with a fine return of four for 85 in 32.1 overs.