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England 315 (Bairstow 95, Bell 58, Morkel 4-80, Steyn 4-94) lead South Africa 309 by six runs
England's lower order resisted well against some impressive fast bowling © PA Photos
England's tail-enders withstood a barrage of short-pitched bowling from Dale Steyn as they stole a lead of six runs on first innings with the Lord's Test approaching its mid-point.
Steven Finn was the last England wicket to fall, mistiming a push into the off side against Morne Morkel.
South Africa's frustrations had been clear in the previous over when their captain, Graeme Smith, dropped a sitter at first slip when Vernon Philander found Finn's edge with England's lead only 3.
Jimmy Anderson, who took a painful blow on the elbow from Morne Morkel shortly before lunch, fell to in the first over after the resumption. Steyn greeted him with a short ball and then produced a vicious delivery with the last ball of the over which Anderson, in self-preservation, could only fend to Jacques Rudolph at point.
Finn also found Steyn in pumped-up mood as he ducked into a delivery which struck him on the side of the helmet and had to sway out of the way of another.
As Steyn came around the wicket to target his body, the last thing he expected was for Finn to pull him resoundingly for four - to the cheers of the crowd and laughter from Graeme Swann at the non-striker's end who ended on a very useful 37.
Lunch England 277 for 8 (Swann 14*, Anderson 9*) trail South Africa 309 by 32 runs
Morne Morkel was rewarded for a probing spell with the key wicket of Jonny Bairstow © Getty Images
Jonny Bairstow will have to wait for his maiden Test hundred. He fell five runs short as South Africa's fast bowlers first squeezed him dry and then silenced him on the third morning of the final Test at Lord's, Morne Morkel striking his middle stump 20 minutes before lunch to leave England looking on in anguish.
South Africa had adjusted their thinking against Bairstow overnight. Gone were the short balls with which they had peppered him the previous day in recognition of his troubled introduction to Test cricket against the West Indies quick Kemar Roach. Morkel's final delivery to him was in keeping with their adjusted approach, fast and fullish, and Bairstow, searching for his favourite leg-side, was found wanting.
The match situation was pressure enough for Bairstow and the relentlessness of South Africa's attack added to it. England were resuming 101 adrift with five first-innings wickets remaining in a Test that they must win to tie the series and prevent South Africa taking their position as the No 1-ranked Test side in the world.
They lost Matt Prior and Stuart Broad to the second new ball and Bairstow, his responsibilities weighing heavily, managed only one run in the last 40 minutes before his middle stump tumbled and his captain, Andrew Strauss, on the Lord's balcony, held his hands to his face in disappointment.
By lunch, England's deficit had been trimmed to 32 with two wickets intact. A sweltering weekend is forecast in London. A rag-tag of an English cricketing summer, ruined by poor planning and even poorer weather, is reaching a marvellous climax, played out before expectant, thoroughly contented capacity crowds.
England, at start of play, had nine overs to make hay before the second new ball. South Africa were aware of the damage that a brief run spurt could cause and maintained rigorous lines. By the time the new ball came, they had made only 13.
That Prior and Bairstow were still around was to England's advantage, but the advantage only lasted one ball. The first delivery with the new ball, from Vernon Philander, curled away from Prior and he obligingly chased it, edging to second slip.
That the new ball was swinging was emphasised when Philander treated Broad to a booming inswinger, doing too much, with the last ball of the over. Broad bats these days as if he has not been to the crease for years, but the hard ball ran away off a few defensive pushes before he tried to shovel Dale Steyn off his body and popped up a catch to Hashim Amla at short leg. Graeme Swann might have followed, lbw to Steyn, but England's tail had the luxury of two reviews remaining and Swann successfully overturned umpire Kumar Dharmasena's decision as Hawk-Eye showed the ball travelling over the stumps.
Bairstow reached 90 with a clip through mid wicket off Philander, his best moment of the morning, but his next boundary was a thick edge wider of the slips and, on 95, two indecisive wafts at short and wide deliveries from Morkel illustrated his tension. He made 95 from 196 balls and produced an innings of pluck and craft in the most challenging of circumstances.
England's lower order resisted well against some impressive fast bowling © PA Photos
England's tail-enders withstood a barrage of short-pitched bowling from Dale Steyn as they stole a lead of six runs on first innings with the Lord's Test approaching its mid-point.
Steven Finn was the last England wicket to fall, mistiming a push into the off side against Morne Morkel.
South Africa's frustrations had been clear in the previous over when their captain, Graeme Smith, dropped a sitter at first slip when Vernon Philander found Finn's edge with England's lead only 3.
Jimmy Anderson, who took a painful blow on the elbow from Morne Morkel shortly before lunch, fell to in the first over after the resumption. Steyn greeted him with a short ball and then produced a vicious delivery with the last ball of the over which Anderson, in self-preservation, could only fend to Jacques Rudolph at point.
Finn also found Steyn in pumped-up mood as he ducked into a delivery which struck him on the side of the helmet and had to sway out of the way of another.
As Steyn came around the wicket to target his body, the last thing he expected was for Finn to pull him resoundingly for four - to the cheers of the crowd and laughter from Graeme Swann at the non-striker's end who ended on a very useful 37.
Lunch England 277 for 8 (Swann 14*, Anderson 9*) trail South Africa 309 by 32 runs
Morne Morkel was rewarded for a probing spell with the key wicket of Jonny Bairstow © Getty Images
Jonny Bairstow will have to wait for his maiden Test hundred. He fell five runs short as South Africa's fast bowlers first squeezed him dry and then silenced him on the third morning of the final Test at Lord's, Morne Morkel striking his middle stump 20 minutes before lunch to leave England looking on in anguish.
South Africa had adjusted their thinking against Bairstow overnight. Gone were the short balls with which they had peppered him the previous day in recognition of his troubled introduction to Test cricket against the West Indies quick Kemar Roach. Morkel's final delivery to him was in keeping with their adjusted approach, fast and fullish, and Bairstow, searching for his favourite leg-side, was found wanting.
The match situation was pressure enough for Bairstow and the relentlessness of South Africa's attack added to it. England were resuming 101 adrift with five first-innings wickets remaining in a Test that they must win to tie the series and prevent South Africa taking their position as the No 1-ranked Test side in the world.
They lost Matt Prior and Stuart Broad to the second new ball and Bairstow, his responsibilities weighing heavily, managed only one run in the last 40 minutes before his middle stump tumbled and his captain, Andrew Strauss, on the Lord's balcony, held his hands to his face in disappointment.
By lunch, England's deficit had been trimmed to 32 with two wickets intact. A sweltering weekend is forecast in London. A rag-tag of an English cricketing summer, ruined by poor planning and even poorer weather, is reaching a marvellous climax, played out before expectant, thoroughly contented capacity crowds.
England, at start of play, had nine overs to make hay before the second new ball. South Africa were aware of the damage that a brief run spurt could cause and maintained rigorous lines. By the time the new ball came, they had made only 13.
That Prior and Bairstow were still around was to England's advantage, but the advantage only lasted one ball. The first delivery with the new ball, from Vernon Philander, curled away from Prior and he obligingly chased it, edging to second slip.
That the new ball was swinging was emphasised when Philander treated Broad to a booming inswinger, doing too much, with the last ball of the over. Broad bats these days as if he has not been to the crease for years, but the hard ball ran away off a few defensive pushes before he tried to shovel Dale Steyn off his body and popped up a catch to Hashim Amla at short leg. Graeme Swann might have followed, lbw to Steyn, but England's tail had the luxury of two reviews remaining and Swann successfully overturned umpire Kumar Dharmasena's decision as Hawk-Eye showed the ball travelling over the stumps.
Bairstow reached 90 with a clip through mid wicket off Philander, his best moment of the morning, but his next boundary was a thick edge wider of the slips and, on 95, two indecisive wafts at short and wide deliveries from Morkel illustrated his tension. He made 95 from 196 balls and produced an innings of pluck and craft in the most challenging of circumstances.