England will take a 1-0 lead into the third Test against South Africa following a draw in the second match at Newlands.

After both sides posted first-innings totals of more than 600, England overcame an early scare and were able to bat through until bad light and rain in Cape Town stopped play on day five shortly after tea.

England began day five with openers Alastair Cook and Alex Hales still at the crease, and South Africa needed a fast start if they were to have any hope of quickly bowling out the tourists and then chasing the most unlikely of victories.

With the bright sunshine of the first few days gone, a bit of cloud cover appeared to help the Proteas' bowlers and Cook (8) was the first to fall by getting the faintest of edges on a Kagiso Rabada delivery.

Hales (5) was then caught spectacularly at slip by Chris Morris, who went on to bowl out Joe Root for 29 after the tourists' top-ranked batsman had escaped dismissal moments before when Morne Morkel was adjudged to have bowled a no-ball.

South Africa still had seven wickets to take, but that became six when Nick Compton chipped Dane Piedt to Faf du Plessis just before lunch.

Ben Stokes, the star of the first innings, helped England to three figures before he swept Piedt to Morkel on the boundary for 26.

Piedt's next victim was James Taylor (27), but that was as good as it got for South Africa as Jonny Bairstow (30*) and Moeen Ali (10*) held firm until play was suspended not long after tea.

The third Test of the four-match series takes place in Johannesburg and begins a week tomorrow.