Half-centuries from Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott and Matt Prior helped England seal a four-wicket victory over South Africa A.

Set a daunting 280 for victory, the tourists looked in trouble at 165 for four with just over 16 overs to go but a 66-run partnership between Trott (74) and Prior (54) kept them in the mix and Luke Wright (25 not out) took them over the line with 11 balls to spare.

In-form captain Strauss, who had already made a half-century and unbeaten 117 in two matches on tour, had earlier given his side a good start with a fluent 71-ball 65 after the home side posted 279 for nine during their innings, which was built largely around Andrew Puttick (62).

Two wickets each for Wright (two for 48) and the fit-again Graham Onions (two for 46) had helped injury-hit England fight back after the home side had raced away to 77 for none and then 122 for one.

Puttick was given good support by Amla (37), but the hosts threw away their good start, slipping to 206 for seven, before Morne Morkel (29) and Heino Kuhn (42 not out) were largely responsible for 73 runs in the final 10 overs that took their side to a competitive total.

The tourists had only 11 fit players at the ground, leaving bowling coach Ottis Gibson to take to the field as 12th man at one point.

Alastair Cook, who captained his country for the first time in Sunday's Twenty20 international, joined the growing list of injuries after coming down with a stiff back earlier in the day.

Paul Collingwood (back), James Anderson (knee) and Graeme Swann (intercostal muscle) were all left behind in Johannesburg, while Stuart Broad (shoulder) was at the ground but unavailable.

In response Strauss and Joe Denly began brightly, taking England to 31 after five overs, before the latter was handed a lifeline on 12 when a mistimed loft off Lonwabo Tsotsobe was put down by Morkel running back from mid-on.

The same shot took his side across 50, but the Kent opener then tossed away his wicket for 23, offering captain Amla an easy catch off Rory Kleinveldt at mid-off.

Strauss continued to look solid, raising his 50 from 52 balls, before the 100 was up in only the 19th over.

England's progress suffered a major setback three overs later, though, when Strauss' attempted cut shot off CJ de Villiers was easily taken by wicketkeeper Kuhn.

Kevin Pietersen (four) looked uncomfortable during his stay and was out not long after when his attempted drive over the top was hit straight to Amla at mid-off.

Eoin Morgan slowly began to ease his way in and lifted Tsotsobe over the top to bring up the 150 in the 32nd over, followed by the first six of the innings over deep mid-wicket off Dean Elgar.

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But his run-a-ball 21 came to a swift end when he miscued Kleinveldt straight to Elgar at mid-wicket to leave England at 165 for four.

Trott kept a cool head at the other end with his own 50 coming up in 66 deliveries, but progress was still slow after he was joined by Prior as Elgar kept the pair in check (none for 40).

The 200 was eventually raised in the 40th over and with 78 needed from the final 60 deliveries, but more tidy bowling kept England in check.

The 50 partnership came up from 56 balls, before the powerplay was taken in the 44th over - a decision that turned out to be a good one.

Morkel went for 15 runs from his first five balls, but then made a mess of Trott's stumps ending the Warwickshire batsman's patient 89-ball stay with 49 to get from six overs.

Wright came in and helped Prior take England past 250 in the 46th over and the England wicketkeeper soon raised his half-century from 46 balls with another boundary off De Villiers.

He was eventually out after facing 48 balls in the 48th over with three runs to get and Wright needed just one more blow to take his side over the line.

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