South Africa have fought back on day two of the first Test against England at The Oval.

The hosts were eventually bowled out for 385 before the tourists posted a score of 86-1 to leave them 299 runs behind on a rain-affected day.

With England starting on 237-3, overnight centurion Alastair Cook made only one run before he was bowled by Dale Steyn for 115.

Steyn then took another wicket almost instantly as Ravi Bopara was dismissed for a duck when he flicked the ball behind and into the gloves of AB de Villiers.

Ian Bell was the next to go for 13 as Jacques Kallis's delivery just clipped the top of the stumps to send the batsman back to the pavilion with the unsteady hosts on 284-6.

Matt Prior nearly went for 17 but was dropped by an outstretched Jacques Rudolph at gully.

However, the tourists didn't have to wait long for their next wicket when Imran Tahir bowled Tim Bresnan for eight to leave England on 326-7 at lunch.

After a brief rain delay, Prior proved dominant at the crease as he made his way towards a half century.

Vernon Philander made light work of Stuart Broad, who went for 16, before Prior was eventually caught by De Villiers off Morne Morkel for 60.

Morkel and De Villiers teamed up again soon after as Jimmy Anderson was dismissed for two to give the hosts a score of 385 all out.

The South Africans began their innings in the worse possible way as Alviro Petersen was bowled by Anderson for a duck off only his eighth ball.

Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla averted any sort of disaster with some solid play at the crease before they were forced to leave the field for a lengthy rain delay on 27-1.

When they came back out over an hour later, the pair guided their team to 86-1 at the close of play.