They were both dismissed with the score on 309, having steadied the ship after Mike Atherton lost his wicket without adding to his overnight score of 103.

Atherton was caught behind by Mark Boucher off Allan Donald having faced just four balls on the second day.

The former England captain was trying to nick the ball over the slips, an area where he scored plenty of runs on his way to his 103 on the first day, but the extra bounce deceived him and Boucher was able to take the catch well above his head.

He was replaced by Nasser Hussain, who took almost no time to open his account with a perfectly timed four off Shaun Pollock.

Hussain and Stewart then built a comfortable partnership of 60. Although South Africa were bowling with more precision than on the first day, England's batsmen were playing with panache.

Stewart had scored a useful 49 when Lance Klusener, who had struggled to find his line, suddenly planted one just outside his off stump.

The England captain prodded at the ball, which carried perfectly to Daryl Cullinan at slip.

Hussain followed him back to the pavilion just four balls later, a victim of a bizarre delivery from South Africa's unorthodox spinner Paul Adams.

Hussain can consider himslef unlucky as the ball never bounced and went underneath his stroke.

They have been replaced by Graham Thorpe and Mark Ramprakash who are helped by vocal support from a sellout crowd at Edgbaston.

South Africa have tightened up their bowling after a loose first day, and for a while Donald and Pollock forced Stewart and Hussain onto the back foot.

However until their dismissals, the England batsmen raised their games to cope with everything they faced.

With the match finely balanced the South African captain Hansie Cronje has been rotating his bowling attack trying to find the breakthrough.

Jacques Kallis, and Klusener took over from Donald and Pollock, and then Kallis made way for Adams before the breakthrough.

Scorecard

England 1st innings

• M Butcher c Kallis b Adams 77
• M Atherton c Boucher b Donald 103
• A Stewart c Cullinan b Klusener 49
• N Hussain lbw Adams 35
• G Thorpe not out 4
• M Ramprakash 2