Vaughan passed 150 for the fifth time in 12 months Photos from Edgbaston

England faced an anxious wait to see if they could avoid the follow-on in the first Test against South Africa despite Michael Vaughan's 156 on day four at Edgbaston.

The hosts were cruising to the vital figure of 395 when Vaughan and Alec Stewart fell in consecutive overs to Dewald Pretorius.

And there was more to come from the 25-year-old, in just his second Test, as he dismissed Andrew Flintoff for 40 with the penultimate delivery of the day to send England to stumps at 374-7.

Increasingly variable bounce - a key part in the 19 byes conceded by the tourists - could play a vital part if England are asked to bat again on the final day.

For the fifth time in the last 12 months Vaughan passed 150 in a Test without going on to a double-century.

The pitch is doing a little more than on the first day so we'll have show a bit more character Michael Vaughan More England reaction

The opener survived a testing spell from Shaun Pollock early on, and another when the new ball was taken, before relaxing to give a regulation edge off the second-change bowler.

Pretorius overcame an erratic start to account for Anthony McGrath - the batsman turned into a shorter delivery and the ball flew off the shoulder of the bat to gully.

But his dismissal of Alec Stewart was a classic, the veteran falling over an inswinging yorker.

Flintoff then shared a 63-run partnership with Ashley Giles before he was lbw, struck on the pad by an inswinger that kept low to provide Pretorius with his fifth Test scalp.

Pretorius took four wickets after an erratic start

Stewart, who made 37, had to call for a runner after bottom-edging a pull shot onto his knee.

England's usual back-up wicket-keeper, Marcus Trescothick, has a fractured finger, leaving the hosts desperately hoping Stewart will be available behind the stumps.

Trescothick opened the innings as usual, putting on an opening stand of 66 with Vaughan before falling for 31 to a late-swinging Makhaya Ntini yorker

Lbw decisions in successive overs accounted for Mark Butcher and Nasser Hussain, neither batsman offering shots.

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Vaughan had made just 12 when diving second slip Herschelle Gibbs just failed to collect an edge off Ntini, eventually reaching his first 50 from his 108th delivery just after lunch.

The next half-century took just 61 balls as the Yorkshire batsman unfurled an array of pulls and cover-drives, making the most of South Africa's generally unimpressive back-up attack.

McGrath responded well to the mid-afternoon clatter of wickets to contribute 34 to an 89-run partnership.

But Vaughan took time again to settle when Ntini and Pollock returned with the second new ball in the middle of an 84-run stand with Stewart.

England: Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain (captain), Alec Stewart, Anthony McGrath, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Darren Gough, James Anderson, Steve Harmison.