It was honours even at lunch on the first day of the fourth Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test at the Wanderers on Thursday.
England, who won the toss and chose to bat, went to lunch on 77 for the loss of one wicket.
South Africa made two changes to the team that won the third Test, with Mark Boucher taking over the wicketkeeping duties from AB de Villiers, who remained in the side as the number-six batsman.
Hashim Amla was released to play for the Dolphins.
Charl Langeveldt, who broke his left hand during the third Test, did not pass a fitness test on Thursday morning, and his place was taken by pace bowler Dale Steyn.
It was Steyn who made the initial breakthrough, with the second ball after the drinks break, when Marcus Trescothick was caught by Boucher for 16.
England played defensively, and were scoring at a rate of less than three an over. The first 50 came up in just less than an hour and a half. Andrew Strauss went to lunch on 40 not out and Robert Key had 16. — Sapa