A beautifully struck maiden Test century from Mark Butcher could not stop England from sliding to a potentially disastrous 230 all out against South Africa at Headingley yesterday.

The Surrey left hander finally dispelled any doubts about his ability as an England opener by making 116 top quality runs from 252 balls with 18 fours.

But the value of his innings was dramatically undermined late in the day when his dismissal started a collapse which saw England dip from 196 for four to 200 for eight at one stage and it was only some late blows from Dominic Cork which pushed them on to their final total.

Until Butcher departed, England could feel reasonably pleased with their work on the first day of the fifth and final Test, but by the time stumps were drawn it was South Africa who were calling the shots - and favourites to win the match and clinch the series.

The remarkable slump was caused by paceman Makhaya Ntini who was preferred late on to spinner Paul Adams and he cashed in with three wickets for four runs in a 15-ball spell while five wickets were tumbling for 17 runs in the space of 34 deliveries.

This was Butcher 13th Test with no more than moderate success previously, and his moment of glory came at the same time as his father, Alan, was coming out of retirement to answer an SOS for Surrey against Derbyshire in the championship match at The Oval.

The day could not have begun more encouragingly for England as Alec Stewart won the toss and Butcher and Michael Atherton made a solid start in a strong crosswind which made control difficult for South Africa's bowlers.

Butcher played the last ball of the first over from Allan Donald off his legs for four with a confidence which never deserted him and he made sure that a fresh confrontation between Atherton and Donald could not develop by facing all but six balls of the paceman's opening seven over spell.

Butcher had a fortunate moment on 24 when a ball from Shaun Pollock leaped high off the bat towards gully but Gary Kirsten was a shade slow to react and could not take the catch cleanly.

The opening stand was worth 45 when Atherton pushed firmly at Ntini and was caught by Jacques Kallis at second slip shortly before rain that was never forecast resulted in an extended lunch break of 80 minutes.

Nasser Hussain and Stewart were unable to lend Butcher the sustained support he wanted and it was not until Mark Ramprakash came in at 110 for three that England really prospered, although Ramprakash was dropped at gully off a fierce cut at Ntini when only two.

Butcher so dominated the afternoon session that only eight scoring shots came at the other end but there was a touch of luck at the way he went to his century with a couple of edged fours off Brian McMillan which safely threaded their way between the slips and gully.

A careless swipe at Donald by Ramprakash found the bottom edge to end a fourth wicket stand of 71 and suddenly the England innings was in ruins.

Butcher, aiming into the covers, got an inside edge and played Pollock into his middle stump to depart to a standing ovation and in the same over Andy Flintoff was adjudged caught at short leg after appearing to have missed the ball by a couple of inches.

Graeme Hick tamely cut Ntini to Jonty Rhodes at point - the same shot twice bringing his downfall while batting for Worcestershire against Yorkshire over the past week - and Ian Salisbury was another to edge into his stumps.

A nasty blow on the left elbow when facing Ntini did not inhibit Cork who blasted four boundaries after receiving treatment but Darren Gough soon fell to a high slip catch by McMillan and Donald closed the innings by having Angus Fraser taken in the slips.

Yorkshire's Matthew Wood came on to substitute for Cork when England took the field and Kirsten and Gerhadus Liebenberg safely negotiated four overs from Fraser and Gough to leave South Africa on nine without loss and very much in control.

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