Andrew Flintoff's blistering late spell of fast bowling gave England hope of saving the third Test against South Africa on day two yesterday.

South Africa closed on 256 for six wickets for a first-innings lead of 25, but Flintoff produced a masterful spell to dismiss Jacques Kallis and A.B. de Villiers before bad light stopped play at Edgbaston.

Flintoff, who had earlier became the 12th England bowler to reach 200 Test wickets, lit up an otherwise slow day.

First, he bowled Kallis for 64 after seemingly having him leg-before-wicket an over earlier, only for umpire Aleem Dar to turn the appeal down. He then tempted De Villiers on five into a hook, and Ryan Sidebottom held the swirling catch at fine leg.

Best batters

"When you bowl against one of the best batters in the world, it brings the best out of you," Flintoff said of Kallis. "It was up there with one of my best overs. I've missed the buzz of playing Test cricket.

"It means a lot to us to get back into the series and doing well for England. We've scrapped hard after not getting enough runs in the first innings."

Flintoff finished with figures of 4-68 off 26 overs, while Sidebottom and James Anderson picked up a wicket each.

"I don't know if it was the fastest spell, but he made life difficult. The one that got me out was a good delivery," Kallis said. "You have to try and work through it and fight hard. It's not the first time we have faced something like that, but it's tough when someone produces a world-class spell.

"Tomorrow is a key session. We're still in a strong position."

Ashwell Prince was 37 not out and Mark Boucher unbeaten on 11 with England having the best of the final session.

Rain delay

Resuming the day on 38-1 in reply to England's first-innings total of 231 after a 15-minute rain delay, Neil McKenzie and night watchman Paul Harris stubbornly refused to play at anything outside off stump.

In overcast and humid conditions perfectly suited to swing bowling, England's bowlers failed to make a breakthrough until 15 minutes before lunch.

McKenzie was fortunate to be given not out when he edged a ball from Flintoff to Andrew Strauss at first slip when on 29.

The ball appeared to travel low into Strauss' hands but with television replays proving inconclusive, McKenzie was given the benefit of the doubt by the third umpire.

Patiently crafted

Sidebottom eventually made the breakthrough when he brought a delivery back into Harris, who edged a regulation catch to Alastair Cook at third slip to be out for 19 and leave South Africa on 94-2.

McKenzie, playing his 50th Test, brought up his 15th Test 50 with a crisp punch through the covers off Sidebottom just before lunch.

South Africa resumed on 104-2 after lunch, and Paul Collingwood put down a relatively straightforward chance at second slip with McKenzie on 57 off the bowling of Flintoff.

It was left to Anderson to show how it was done, taking a stunning one-handed catch diving forward off his own bowling to dismiss Hashim Amla for nine with only 23 more runs added.

Flintoff eventually had his 200th Test wicket when McKenzie was trapped lbw for a patiently crafted 72, and South Africa was 135-4.

Difficult chance

"Its nice to get past 200 wickets, but it's taken a while," Flintoff said. "I'd rather have done it 15 Tests ago."

Wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose was unable to hold on to a difficult chance standing up to the stumps to Collingwood with Kallis on 37.

Kallis brought up a 50 partnership with Prince and the pair remained unbeaten to reach 205-4 at tea with dark clouds threatening.

South Africa leads the four-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test at Headingley by 10 wickets last week.