England's Stephen Harmison bowls South Africa's Hashim Amla during the first day of the fourth Test at the Oval ysterday. - AP

LONDON (AP):

ENGLAND PACEMAN Steve Harmison triggered a South African collapse at The Oval yesterday and the hosts were in full control after the first day of the fourth Test.

Harmison was impressive in his first match for England since being dropped in March, capturing two wickets in two balls, while James Anderson took three for 42 to dismiss South Africa for 194.

At stumps on the first day, England were on 49 for one, with Alastair Cook on 20 and Ian Bell on 22, giving Kevin Pietersen a good start to his captaincy.

Andrew Strauss was out in the fourth over for seven, edging Makhaya Ntini to slip.

South Africa, who hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, had moved untroubled to 103-1 after lunch when Harmison struck.

He first had Graeme Smith caught at backward square leg for 46 and the next ball uprooted Hashim Amla's middle stump. Amla had struck eight fours in his 35-ball innings of 36.

With the series already decided, there was speculation that South Africa might not have been completely focussed on the match.

Amla, however, denied that the team felt it had nothing to play for.

"That's not the case at all," he responded. "We know we are still playing for our country. That we have already won the series did not affect our approach at all. We want to win 3-0."

Double strike

Harmison's double strike provided the spark that England have lacked this series. Anderson then trapped Jacques Kallis leg before wicket for two to claim his 100th Test wicket, and England went on to claim six wickets in a single session.

Durham paceman Harmison said after play that his time away from Test cricket had been beneficial.

"I deserved to be dropped in New Zealand," he said. "But I had a bit of time away from the game and I've come back into the side refreshed and very determined."

Ashwell Prince, who has twice rescued South Africa from precarious starts with dogged centuries, ground out just four runs before he was caught off Anderson.

Anderson struck again 14 runs later to have Mark Boucher caught behind for three as the visitors lost five wickets for 29 runs. In the last over before tea, A.B. de Villiers was out lbw for 39 to Monty Panesar. After tea, Stuart Broad accounted for Morne Morkel and Andre Nel before Panesar bowled Ntini for nine.

Harmison nearly had Smith out on the first ball of the match, when he edged it to Cook at gully, who dropped the chance. Later in Harmison's first over, one delivery reared so sharply that it struck wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose in the mouth, cutting his lip.

Smith was in more trouble early, twice edging Andrew Flintoff to the slips, but on both occasions the ball dropped just short of Cook and Paul Collingwood respectively.

Neil McKenzie, Smith's opening partner, looked far more settled and had reached 17 when he chased a wide Flintoff delivery to be caught at third slip by Cook.

Harmison replaced Ryan Sidebottom in the side, while Stuart Broad was recalled as an extra bowler after Michael Vaughan relinquished the captaincy and decided against playing the final Test. Vaughan resigned his position after Smith scored an unbeaten 154 at Edgbaston on Saturday to give South Africa a five-wicket victory and a 2-0 series lead.