Kirsten scored fluently in the final session of the day Photos: Headingley action Quotes: Kirsten reflects

South Africa recovered admirably from 21-4 after the first hour of play to end the day with their tails up thanks to an astonishing eighth-wicket partnership.

Gary Kirsten and Test debutant Monde Zondeki put on an unbeaten 118 in tandem as England's new-look five-man seam attack misfired late in the day.

Kirsten underpinned the entire innings, undefeated on 109 after entering the fray in the first over.

It was his fifth century against England but none could have been as valuable as this one.

Zondeki came in at 142-7 after Andrew Flintoff took two wickets in consecutive deliveries either side of tea.

And together the duo put on the highest eighth-wicket partnership ever established at Headingley.

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Zondeki played and missed on more than 20 occasions, riding his luck to reach stumps on 50 not out, almost double his previous highest first-class score.

The day had all started so well for England after South Africa, with three changes to the side who lost the Trent Bridge Test, elected to bat first after winning the toss.

In cloudy conditions, four wickets fell in the first 65 minutes to leave the home side cock-a-hoop.

Within eight deliveries from the start of play, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs were forced to return to the pavilion after edging catches to wicket-keeper Alec Stewart.

Smith chased a wide one from James Kirtley while Gibbs tickled a Martin Bicknell delivery that seamed away from him.

Surrey veteran Bicknell, playing his first Test appearance for 10 years, soon struck again when an out-of-sorts Jacques Kallis drove to short mid-off.

Bicknell celebrates one of his two wickets in the first session

Then Kabir Ali, in his first over in Test cricket, continued the destruction when Neil McKenzie got an outside edge on an attempted straight drive, snicking the delivery straight to Stewart.

When Kirsten reached 28 he edged Andrew Flintoff to gully.

However, England were unable to celebrate the fifth wicket because Flintoff had over-stepped at the crease and a no-ball was signalled.

Kirsten and Jacques Rudolph added 95 for the fifth wicket to begin the recovery. Eventually, Ali straightened one to trap Rudolph lbw for a well-made 55.

Mark Boucher fell just before tea for 16 while Andrew Hall gloved one just after the interval to give Andrew Flintoff two wickets in two balls.

It looked like England would wrap up the innings moments later, but the day had a nasty sting in its tail for the home side.

England: MP Vaughan (capt), ME Trescothick, MA Butcher, N Hussain, ET Smith, AJ Stewart (wkt), A Flintoff, JM Anderson, RJ Kirtley, Kabir Ali, M Bicknell.