It was not so much the runs they made but the circumstances under which they achieved them that made their performances memorable.

Having been bowled out for the below-par score of 260 on the first day, England bounced back strongly at the start of play, taking two wickets in nine deliveries without conceding a run.

This left the home side on a shaky 29/3, but by the close of play South Africa had stretched its first innings advantage past the three-figure mark to a useful 129 with three wickets in hand.

There was every prospect of spin coming into the game later on.

It was hard going for Bavuma and De Bruyn in the first hour, when only 45 runs were added to the total. They then counter-attacked splendidly as 117 runs were scored in the full morning session, and 148 between lunch and tea.

Bavuma's century was his ninth in the first-class game (102, 161 balls, 15 fours). De Bruyn finally lost his wicket for the first time in the series for 161 (176 balls, 26 fours and 2 sixes).

Scoring his third century, De Bruyn has now scored 367 runs in the series for his solitary dismissal.

The pair did a particular hatchet job on the two England spinners which forced the visitors to change tactics and use seven bowlers during the day's play.

Bavuma has developed a reputation for digging South Africa's second best XI out of difficult situations.

In Australia last year he joined Rilee Rossouw at a critical stage of 59/4 and contributed 161 to a partnership of 343 that set the team up for a series win.

In three matches against Australia and England's second best combinations he has made 317 runs at an average of 106 with two centuries.

De Bruyn once again displayed his insatiable appetite, not just for big runs, but for getting them quickly.

The partnership of 210 with Bavuma came in 192 minutes and included more than 40 boundaries. In the process he scored his 1000th run in his 11th first-class match and his 20th innings.

Only Jean Symes and Jimmy Christy have done better among South Africans, reaching that landmark in 19 innings.

De Bruyn now has a career average of 59.72. What is particularly impressive is that 697 of those runs have come in six matches (11 innings) at either franchise or South Africa A level. He made his first-class debut only 11 months ago.

Justin Ontong helped De Bruyn add a further 99 for the fifth wicket and in the process reached the significant career landmark of 10,000 runs.

Mark Wood was the pick of the England attack as he has been for most of the series. He bowled a fuller length than his colleagues and always looked in the hunt for an outside edge.

England paid much the same price for missed opportunities, as De Bruyn was dropped at slip by Jonathan Trott, off the spin of Adam Riley on 31 and Bavuma nicked Wood to Alex Lees at first slip on 73.