Fans have another four tests to make up for the disappointment

After a steady downpour for several hours, umpires called off the match at 2.30pm following consultation with the two captains.

The decision means a test that had promised to end with a bang finished up a damp squib.

Both teams went into the last day with high hopes of a win.

England, on their first outing under Alec Stewart's captaincy, were 170 for eight with an overall lead of 289.

South Africa's skipper Hansie Cronje said he had been confident of chasing "any total at less than four runs an over".

Atherton's 103 run stand was a highlight of the opening day

But England had remained the bookmakers' favourites to win on a wicket showing increasing signs of uneven bounce.

The first four days of the match were highlighted by a brilliant century by former England skipper Mike Atherton and an equally good innings by Jonty Rhodes.

England batted into a commanding position by scoring 462 in its first innings. South Africa, largely due to a steady innings by Rhodes, just managed to limp past the follow-on mark before being bowled out for 343.

This was only the fourth time a day's play has been abandoned without a ball bowled in 34 tests at Edgbaston. The last occasion was six years ago when the first day of the test between England and Pakistan was washed out.

Scorecard

England 1st innings

Total: 462

South Africa 1st innings

• G Kirsten c Butcher b Cork 12
• G Liebenberg c sub b Cork 3
• J Kallis c Stewart b Cork 61
• D Cullinan b Fraser 78
• W Cronje c sub b Cork 1
• J Rhodes c Stewart b Fraser 95
• S Pollock c Croft b Fraser 16
• M Boucher c Stewart b Fraser 0
• L Klusener c Stewart b Ealham 57
• A Donald c & b Cork 7
• P Adams not out 6