Proteas move towards commanding lead

Prince (134no) augmented his hundred at Lord's last week, sharing an unbroken stand of 179 with AB de Villiers (70no) as South Africa reached 322 for four in reply to 203, before bad light and rain wiped out the final 14 scheduled overs.

Only a maiden wicket for debutant Darren Pattinson briefly interrupted South Africa's progress in the second Test.

In the early afternoon, Prince hit two straight sixes in consecutive overs off Monty Panesar - apparently intent on preventing England's slow left-armer from settling, after his belated introduction in the 59th over.

Before tea he had 100 to his name, with 11 fours to add to those two sixes from 194 balls.

The left-hander restricted himself largely to a percentage innings, built on knowing deflections and sound timing - as well as the occasional more expansive shot - on his way to his ninth Test hundred.

De Villiers' 126-ball half-century contained five fours, and was a significant contribution in rewarding circumstances.

It was De Villiers who reportedly found himself on the end of Michael Vaughan's lunchtime tirade because of a slip catch the South African claimed in error, before a third umpire referral rightly reprieved Andrew Strauss.

Pattinson this morning raised England's hopes only momentarily when he won an lbw decision against Hashim Amla, after South Africa resumed on 101 for three in bright and breezy conditions on a pitch which favoured the batsmen all day.