Alastair Cook's unbeaten fifty strengthened England's grip on the first Test at Lord's after South Africa had to toil in the field without Vernon Philander on Saturday.
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England were 119 for one in their second innings at stumps on the third day, a lead of 216 runs in this opening match of a four-Test series.
Former captain Cook was 59 not out, after more than three hours of typically painstaking effort, with fellow left-hander Gary Ballance unbeaten on 22.
"England are in a strong position, there's no hiding from it," said South Africa batsman Temba Bavuma, who made 59 on Saturday.
Philander, whose five-wicket innings return saw him bowl the Proteas to a series-clinching win at Lord's five years ago, did not bowl a single one of the 51 overs the Proteas sent down Saturday.
He was off the field after going for an X-ray on a hand injury suffered when he was hit by James Anderson while making 52 in South Africa's first innings 361 earlier in the day.
It was a worrying absence for the Proteas given they are already without Kagiso Rabada, another member of their pace attack, for next week's second Test at Trent Bridge after he was banned for verbally abusing England all-rounder Ben Stokes on Thursday's first day at Lord's.
