The visitors dominated the early part of the day when they claimed the remaining three home wickets for four runs to restrict the lead of the home side to just 40 at the change of innings.

Dean Elgar (36) and Sarel Erwee (26) then added 58 for the first wicket, and aided by Keegan Petersen (23), took the South Africans to 83 for one at one stage, before the wheels came off.

They eventually slumped to 169 all out, setting their opponents a meagre target of 130. And England raced away towards that winning mark by reaching stumps on 97 for none.

It ended another largely forgettable day for Mark Boucher’s side, who now look destined to lose the match and with it the series when day five gets going on Monday.

The fact that they fought back so promisingly on the fourth morning will leave them bitterly disappointed with the end outcome.

Kagiso Rabada (4/81) started the damage by taking out Ollie Robinson (3) second ball, before dismissing Jack Leach (0) another five deliveries later. Marco Jansen (5/35) won the dash for the five-for by removing last man Ben Foakes (14) to claim his first five-wicket haul at Test level in his seventh match for the Proteas.

Elgar and Erwee then survived some probing bowling to put on a battling half-century stand that eventually ended on 58. However, South Africa still reached lunch well placed on 70 for one.

The possible turning point arrived just after lunch when Elgar was given out leg before wicket to Stuart Broad (3/45) and walked off without reviewing the decision. Replays showed that the captain would have survived had he opted to go upstairs and the call proved pivotal as momentum then swung heavily England’s way.

From 83 for one, the visitors fell quickly to 95 for four with Petersen and Ryan Rickelton (8) joining the skipper back in the change room.

After brief resistance from Khaya Zondo (16) and Wiaan Mulder (14), the Proteas continued to slide and were eventually dismissed just after tea. England captain Ben Stokes (3/39) also bagged three wickets to finish as the pick of the bowlers.

The confidence of the English bowlers then filtered down to the batsmen as Zak Crawley (57* off 44 balls) and Alex Lees (32*) batted boldly in the 17 overs they faced to leave their side in a powerful position when bad light ended play early.