JOHANNESBURG: England won the toss and decided to bat in the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Thursday.

England, leading the series 1-0, brought in left-arm swing bowler Ryan Sidebottom in place of fast bowler Graham Onions, who as a number eleven batsman batted out the final over in both the first and third Tests.

South Africa named two new caps in left-arm fast bowler Wayne Parnell, who replaced the injured Friedel de Wet, and seam bowling all-rounder Ryan McLaren, who was selected ahead of left-arm spinner Paul Harris.

The pitch was expected to provide some help for the fast bowlers. There was some cloud building up and the possibility of thundershowers later in the day.

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Ashwell Prince, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher (wkt), Ryan McLaren, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell.

England: Andrew Strauss (captain), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Matt Prior (wkt), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom.

Umpires: Steve Davis (AUS), Tony Hill (NZL)

TV umpire: Daryl Harper (AUS).

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI).