England have drawn the first npower Test match at Lord's after South Africa declared in their second innings on 393-3.

The match ended in some disarray after the players shook hands thinking a stoppage for bad light at 4.30pm had signalled the close of play, only to be forced to restart ten minutes later when the sun came out.

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen, two part-time off-spinners, then bowled an over each before the Smith took the earliest opportunity to declare at 4.50pm and Michael Vaughan agreed not to chase England's target.

Neil McKenzie's tour-de-force 138 and an unbeaten 104 from Hashim Amla ensured South Africa completed their fightback after being forced to follow on two days 346 runs behind.

The touring side hit 247 in their first innings but McKenzie and Graeme Smith, their captain, responded impressively with an opening stand of 204, while the former added another 125 alongside Amla.

Suffering with a groin strain towards the end of his 447-ball innings and batting with Smith as a runner, McKenzie eventually went when he was edged an attempted to cut a ball from James Anderson but edged to Tim Ambrose, the wicketkeeper.

By then, though, the touring side has all but completed the task of saving the match and, even though Jacques Kallis was yorked by Ryan Sidebottom on 13, looked in little difficulty with Amla at the crease.

He reached a hundred after 231 balls and was still in situ with Ashwell Prince when the umpires unexpectedly offered the batsmen the opportunity of going off for bad light. When the players returned shortly afterwards, the farcical epilogue followed.