Shah keeps England on track

Owais Shah kept England on track for a NatWest Series whitewash over South Africa, with a seven-wicket victory at rainy Lord's.

The hosts, already 3-0 up before this fourth match of five, overcame early blips to reach the 137 they needed with 14 balls of their 20 overs to spare.

They were indebted to Shah and captain Kevin Pietersen, whose stand of 74 in nine overs resuscitated England from 19 for two.

But after the out-of-sorts Jacques Kallis was plundered for 20 in his solitary over, the momentum was established - and not relinquished, despite Pietersen's departure to a catch in the deep off Johan Botha.

Shah stayed the course to finish with 44 not out and help his team past the post on his home ground, in company with Andrew Flintoff, as yet more rain threatened in the gathering gloom.

South Africa, put in under cloud cover after an initial two-and-a-half-hour delay, had posted 183 for six in the 32.1 overs possible before a storm arrived.

Their innings owed much to Herschelle Gibbs, whose 74 came from 75 balls and contained nine fours. He and Hashim Amla were near equal partners in a 66-run opening stand, ended when the latter was run out in a mix-up over a single as Shah produced a direct hit from straight mid-on.

Sights had to be reset when six overs were wiped off the original 39, after rain intervened at 37 for none.

Kallis' run drought continued when he was correctly given out caught behind off Flintoff (three for 21) after a third-umpire referral.

Gibbs could not get after England's premier all-rounder - and when he went bowled off his pads trying to make something from nothing by shuffling across his stumps against Stuart Broad, South Africa did not have the firepower to take the initiative in the final five overs.