Smith passed yet another landmark in this series when he broke the record for the most runs by a South African in a Test series against England, but his good fortune did not last.

Captain Smith, 22, set a new best when he hit a single into the covers to get off the mark, following scores of 277, 85 and 259 less than halfway through the series, which his side lead 1-0.

Having lost opening partner Herschelle Gibbs, who chopped on to Steve Harmison - the third time in succession he has been dismissed in that way this series - Smith was sent back after stepping back onto his own stumps.

He hopped back to turn a short-of-a-length delivery from Andrew Flintoff, bowling round the wicket, into the leg-side and clattered middle stump with his left heel.

But the fortuitous dismissal meant England had sent both openers back relatively cheaply for the first time in the series.

Both Harmison and Flintoff extracted bounce and pace from the Nottingham surface and deserved their reward as South Africa closed on 84 for two.

England, having resumed on 272 for three suffered a middle order tumble as both overnight batsmen fell inside the first 13 overs of the day.

Nasser Hussain added only eight runs to his overnight 108 before being trapped leg before to a Shaun Pollock delivery which cut back into his pads.

He was soon joined by Kent batsman Ed Smith, who fell five overs later when he edged Jacques Kallis behind having scored a determined 64 in his maiden Test innings.

Those dismissals were the start of a middle-order collapse with Flintoff falling for a duck five overs later, edging Andrew Hall to slip after 29 minutes at the crease trying to get off the mark.

Ashley Giles contributed a useful 22 but was bowled through the gate by Hall, leaving veteran Alec Stewart with the responsibility of taking England past 400 and beyond.

Stewart relished the challenge and hit a gutsy 72, which included 11 boundaries, but spinner Paul Adams claimed the last two wickets cheaply, although James Anderson was unbeaten once again.

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