Graeme Smith guided South Africa with a century which secured a five-wicket victory over England in the third Test.

South Africa had not won a series on English soil since readmission and Smith was intent from the start of the tour to become the man to end that sequence.

His side have achieved that ambition superbly, batting out the opening Test for two days to salvage a draw before romping to a 10-wicket victory at Headingley to claim a priceless 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

And Smith, on the ground where he launched the 2003 tour of England with a double hundred, hit a defiant century to leave England exhausted and badly beaten in the Edgbaston gloom.

Chasing a testing victory target of 281, Smith's composure was crucial after his side slipped to 93 for four with Andrew Flintoff again exploiting problems with the sightscreen from the Pavilion End to claim two wickets.

Smith batted for nearly six hours to hit an unbeaten 154 and guided his side home to reduce next week's final Test at The Oval to a dead rubber.

His brilliant display also served to underline the current struggle by England captain Michael Vaughan.

England have failed to win any of the nine Tests they have played against highly-rated opposition - India, Sri Lanka and South Africa - since his return from a long-standing knee injury over a year ago.

The hosts had begun the fourth morning as slight favourites, 214 runs ahead on 297 for six and despite losing Tim Ambrose to the second ball of the day they were well placed to set a target of over 300.

But after Paul Collingwood forged a determined 65-run eighth wicket stand with Ryan Sidebottom, spanning 16.5 overs, England lost their composure and lost their last three wickets for a run with the Durham all-rounder last out on 135.

It seemed his innings was destined to become the defining performance of the match when South Africa began their run chase with James Anderson causing both their openers problems by swinging the new ball.

It was, though, all-rounder Flintoff who provided the breakthrough in controversial circumstances when he again exploited the right-handed batsmen's difficulty in picking up his high arm from above the sightscreen from the Pavilion End.

Neil McKenzie completely lost an attempted yorker from Flintoff and ducked only to fall lbw when the ball landed on his boot.

Jacques Kallis was even more annoyed at what he regarded as Flintoff's unfair advantage when another attempted yorker looped into his thigh as he attempted to duck and left the South Africa all-rounder plumb lbw.

He was clearly furious as he stomped off to the dressing room, but not as incensed as South Africa coach Mickey Arthur on the balcony, particularly after he had discussed the problem during the first innings with match referee Ranjan Madugalle.

Between those controversial dismissals, left-arm spinner Monty Panesar won an lbw appeal against Hashim Amla. And Anderson increased the pressure shortly after Kallis' downfall by tempting Ashwell Prince into pushing outside off stump and edging behind.

At 93 for four when AB de Villiers arrived at the crease, the pressure was on Smith to remain composed if his side were not about to blow another opportunity to win a series in England as they did in 2003 when they lost the final Test at The Oval.

This time he was determined not to miss out, although he was fortunate on 85 when he gloved Panesar down the legside and wicketkeeper Ambrose ran around to take the catch.

As umpire Steve Davis had rejected a clear lbw appeal when Collingwood was on 103 in the fifth over of the day, South Africa probably felt they deserved a bit of luck and with de Villiers offering solid support, they added a crucial 78.

Panesar finally ended de Villiers' 99 minutes of resistance when he tempted him to follow a wider delivery and edge low to Collingwood at slip, but the steely determination of Smith was yet to be broken.

He refused to celebrate elaborately even after reaching his 16th Test century and with Mark Boucher remaining equally defiant during a 112-run partnership, it was England who buckled first and by the end they looked every inch a defeated team.

Smith fittingly pulled the winning runs off Kevin Pietersen's occasional off-spin, the 16th boundary of his stunning innings, to start South Africa's celebrations and begin a long inquest into another disappointing performance from England's under-performing line-up.

Click here to watch final day highlights from Edgbaston.