Mark Butcher and Nasser Hussain compiled stylish centuries as England fought back from a poor start to reach 296 for three at the close on the first day of the third Test against South Africa on Thursday.

Butcher and Hussain came together with the hosts in trouble at 29 for two, but their fluent third-wicket partnership of 189 laid the foundation for a substantial total.

Butcher fell early in the final session for 106 but Hussain went on to complete his 13th Test century, a little over two weeks after quitting as captain of the team.

He raised his arms in triumph at getting to three figures but retained his concentration sufficiently to remain unbeaten on 108 at the close, with debutant Ed Smith not out on 40 after an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 78.

It was a position of prosperity for England that few would have imagined after South Africa dismissed openers Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick in the first hour of the match to continue their domination of the series.

Vaughan, who won the toss, was first to go with the total on seven when he edged a lifting delivery from Shaun Pollock low to Herschelle Gibbs at third slip for one.

Trescothick hit five crisp boundaries on the way to 24 but was again unable to capitalise on a solid start.

The tall left-hander had just hit Andrew Hall straight for four when his indecisive push at the combative all rounder presented wicketkeeper Mark Boucher with a simple catch.

Hussain played and missed several times, leaving the South African seamers to maintain a probing off-stump line.

Butcher also struggled initially, surviving a big lbw shout off Pollock.

DISMISSIVE PULL

But the pair soon found their timing and Hussain's dismissive pull off Makhaya Ntini sent England into lunch on 85 for two.

Butcher played shots all round the wicket, the left-hander stroking several sumptuous boundaries through the off side before reaching his eighth Test century with his 21st four.

Even Graeme Smith showed signs of fatigue, the South Africa captain diving over the ball as he tried to stop another Butcher stroke from reaching the extra cover boundary.

England took tea on 212 for two but Butcher fell soon after the interval when he nicked a short ball from Ntini through to Boucher.

Ed Smith settled quickly into Test cricket, defending solidly and showing his attacking repertoire with crisp pulls and drives.

He and Hussain, whose first Test century for almost a year included 17 fours, survived comfortably to the close as the South African bowlers tired.

Pollock was the most economical, conceding only 41 runs from his 23 overs.

South Africa, 1-0 up in the five-match series, suffered a blow before the match when experienced batsman Gary Kirsten was ruled out with an arm injury.

His place went to Neil McKenzie, but Jacques Kallis returned to the side after missing the first two Tests following the death of his father last month.

England handed debuts to Ed Smith and fast bowler James Kirtley, who replaced Anthony McGrath and Darren Gough from the side that lost the second Test at Lord's by an innings and 92 runs.

Scoreboard

England (1st innings):
 M.Trescothick c Boucher b Hall 24
 M.Vaughan c Gibbs b Pollock 1
 M.Butcher c Boucher b Ntini 106
 N.Hussain not out 108
 E.Smith not out 40
 Extras (b-7 lb-5 w-3 nb-2) 17
 Total (for three wickets, 90 overs) 296

To bat: Alec Stewart, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, James Anderson, Steve Harmison, James Kirtley.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-29, 3-218

Bowling: Pollock 23-9-41-1 (2-nb, 1-w), Ntini 21-2-81-1, Hall 15-2-65-1, Kallis 20-5-78-0 (1-w), Adams 11-2-19-0 (1-w).

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Neil McKenzie, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Paul Adams, Makhaya Ntini.