South Africa won the toss and elected to bat, compiling 247 for four from 90 overs with Jacques Kallis unbeaten on 81. They struggled in the afternoon against heavily stacked off-side fields and clever tactical bowling by the English.

"You have to adopt containing tactics with their batting line-up because they are so strong up-front," Fletcher said. "Everything was in the batter's favour, it was a really good toss to win.

"It was nice to see (Michael) Vaughan set some plans and the bowlers stick to them. From my point of view we would have looked to a score of 300 if we were only four down on the first day so it looks pleasing from my perspective."

He singled out Ashley Giles, fully recovered from a back spasm which prevented him from bowling in the first innings of the second Test.

"Ashley bowled very well and it just shows how tough it was for the other bowlers when he couldn't bowl in Durban."

South African skipper Graeme Smith was not upset by the tactics, conceding that it was arguably the right move.

"They were quite defensive in the afternoon and left it out there and basically said, 'come at us'," said Smith, who scored a patient 74.