Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini took a career-best 10-wicket haul Sunday as South Africa took less than four days to beat England by an innings and 92 runs in the second test at Lord's.
Man-of-the-match Ntini claimed 5-75 and 5-145 to lead the Proteas to the one-sided victory and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Resuming the penultimate day on 129 for two, England collapsed from 186 for two to 208 for six before being dismissed for 417 runs.
Only allrounder Andrew Flintoff, who top scored with a career-best 142 runs off 146 balls, saved England from a heavier defeat.
He was the last man out when stumped by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher off leftarm spinner Paul Adams.
This was after South Africa bowled out England for 173 in Michael Vaughan's captaincy debut and then took control of the test with a record-breaking 682 for six declared.
South Africa skipper Graeme Smith led from the front with 259 runs while Gary Kirsten (108), Boeta Dippenaar (92) and vice-captain Mark Boucher (68) also chipped in to achieve South Africa's highest ever total.
"The captain did tremendously well and after being given the chance to lead the side, he showed he can do it from the front," Ntini told Channel 4.
It was South Africa's third win at Lord's in as many visits since it was re-admitted to test play following 21 years of isolation because of the republic's apartheid policy. South Africa won here in 1994 under Kepler Wessels by 356 runs, and in 1998 by 10 wickets under Hansie Cronje.
South Africa's victory under a 22-year-old Smith this time left England counterpart Vaughan confused and England humiliated.
"We never really got into game," Vaughan said. "To lose five wickets on the first morning and to be all out for 173 on that kind of wicket, we were always chasing the game."
Vaughan was rushed to the helm less than a week ago, after Nasser Hussain resigned because he was too "tired and stale" to carry on.
Although Vaughan led successfully in the one-dayers against Pakistan, South Africa and Zimbabwe, England's best batsman faces a renewed challenge as he looks to take his country into a new era.
The win was even more impressive, considering the tourists were playing without Jacques Kallis. He missed the first two tests after the death of his father to lung cancer.
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