Ashwell Prince's second hundred in successive Tests condemned England to a major first-innings deficit on day two at Headingley.

Prince (134 not out) augmented his hundred at Lord's last week, sharing an unbroken stand of 179 with AB de Villiers (70no) as South Africa reached 322 for four before rain and bad light stopped play, having bowled England out for 203 yesterday.

Only a maiden wicket for debutant Darren Pattinson briefly interrupted South Africa's progress - before Prince upped the ante in the early afternoon with two straight sixes in consecutive overs off Monty Panesar as the tourists took control of the second Test.

Apparently intent on preventing England's slow left-armer from settling - after a belated introduction in the 59th over - Prince went up the wicket for his first maximum to complete his 50.

He hit the next one from the crease, and before tea he had 100 to his name - with 11 fours to go with those two sixes from 194 balls.

The left-hander restricted himself largely to a percentage innings, built on knowing deflections and sound timing - as well as the occasional more expansive shot - on his way to his ninth Test hundred.

De Villiers' 126-ball half-century contained five fours, a significant personal contribution after he had reportedly yesterday found himself on the end of Michael Vaughan's lunchtime tirade because of the slip catch the South African claimed in error before a third-umpire referral reprieved Andrew Strauss.

Pattinson this morning raised England's hopes only momentarily when he won an lbw decision against Hashim Amla, after South Africa resumed on 101 for three in bright and breezy conditions.

There was little obvious help for England's four-strong seam attack, with minimal swing available and nothing notable in terms of sideways movement or unpredictable bounce on a slow pitch.

Amla and Prince were in no hurry as they trained their sights on disciplined consolidation, in a stand of 67.

For Pattinson, though - and the England selectors - there was at least a transitory vindication of his surprise elevation to the Test ranks, after just 11 first-class games and around two weeks before his 30th birthday.

The seamer had luck on his side when Daryl Harper raised his finger after Amla missed a slower ball, a low full toss, and was hit in line with leg stump by a delivery which would probably have swung to safety. England, of course, thought they had Amla on nine last night - before controversy kicked in and Vaughan's 'catch' at mid-off was disallowed.

Vaughan had opened up today with Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson, and summoned Stuart Broad as his first change before allowing Pattinson his first opportunity - in the 38th over of the innings - to try again down the hill after his new-ball spell of 3-0-16-0 from the Kirkstall Lane end.