England v Proteas: Three landmarks in long rivalry

England play South Africa in the first Test of a three-match series at Lord's from Wednesday, pitting their wits against the Proteas after a stunning start to life under new captain Ben Stokes.

The hosts have won all four Tests so far on home soil this season but the visitors have an impressive recent record, including a series win against India.

AFP Sport looks back at three headline-grabbing incidents in a rivalry stretching back to 1889.

1939: The 'timeless' Test

Test matches were not always limited to today's standard maximum of five days - sometimes they were played to a finish, however long it took.

But the last "timeless" Test took place between South Africa and England in Durban in 1939. The match was eventually declared a draw after nine days' play spread across 12 days in all.

The game ended in a stalemate because the England team had to leave to catch the boat home.

England's fourth innings total of 654-5 remains a record for a first-class match and the "timeless" Test is the longest ever played.

1968: The D'Oliveira Affair

Basil D'Oliveira, classified as a "Cape Coloured", was unable to play cricket in his native South Africa due to the system of apartheid in the country.

The batsman instead came to Britain and eventually forced his way into the England side.

Despite his superb 158 against Australia at the Oval in the final Test of the 1968 Ashes, D'Oliveira was dramatically omitted from the England squad for the subsequent tour of South Africa, sparking a huge furore.

Yet when Tom Cartwright, a bowler, withdrew from the squad through injury, he was replaced by D'Oliveira, a batting all-rounder.

John Vorster, South Africa's then prime minister, responded to D'Oliveira's inclusion by threatening to refuse him entry into