England were 182 for 6 in their second innings at tea on the fourth day of the second Test, still needing 137 runs to make South Africa bat again.
England had resumed on 569-8, with Adil Rashid and Stuart Broad at the crease as the tourists sought to build a defendable lead before putting Pakistan into bat.
England batsman Kevin Pietersen celebrated his first Test against his native South Africa on Thursday with an imperious 104 not out on the opening day of the first Test at Lord's.
England beat New Zealand by 50 runs at Christchurch on Thursday to complete a 2-0 series sweep of their two Twenty20 internationals. England captain Paul Collingwood smashed a half-century to help his team compile a healthy total of 193 for eight before the tourists restricted New Zealand to 143-8 in reply.
Kevin Pietersen's inventive 110 not out, which included two unorthodox left-handed sixes, helped steer England to a 114-run win over New Zealand in the first one-day international at Durham on Sunday. England took the lead in the five-match series after the Kiwis, replying to England's 307 for five, failed to threaten their target and were all out for 193. Brendon McCullum top-scored with 36 while Paul Collingwood took four for 15.
England opener Ian Bell scored 60 not out on Friday to help subject New Zealand to their seventh straight defeat in Twenty20 internationals. Bell's fluent innings was the highlight of a day in which England won a one-sided contest by nine wickets with 15 balls to spare at Old Trafford in Manchester. The home side, replying to New Zealand's below-par 123 for nine on a pitch encouraging both pace and spin, reached 127 for one.
India went into the first Test with one spinner in Anil Kumble, while Yuvraj Singh lost the battle for a No 6 or 7 slot to VVS Laxman and M S Dhoni.
Michael Vaughan (28 not out) and Alastair Cook (19 not out) took England to 48 without loss when bad light stopped play after the Sri Lankans had amassed 548 for 9 declared for a first-innings lead of 197, on Day 4 of the second Test.
South Africa fought back in the afternoon session on the third day of the fourth Test on Sunday, reducing England to 138 for six in their second innings and restricting the hosts to a lead of 274.
England spinner Monty Panesar claimed six wickets to wrap up the deciding third Test against New Zealand just after lunch on the fifth day on Wednesday. New Zealand, chasing an improbable 553 to win, were bowled out for 431 in their second innings to give England victory by 121 runs and a 2-1 triumph in the series, their first overseas success since South Africa in 2005.
Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell scored centuries as England ended day three against New Zealand at 416 for five, with an overall lead of 501 runs.
England extended their lead to 176 runs at the close of play on the second day of the deciding Third test after Ryan Sidebottom ripped through New Zealand's batting lineup on Sunday. Sidebottom finished with career-best figures of seven for 47 and took his series tally to 23 wickets.
England captain Alastair Cook and Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews also joined in to pay their respects to Phillip Hughes.
England fast bowler James Anderson has thrown an injury scare into his team's hopes of winning the second Test against New Zealand when he injured his left ankle playing soccer after the third day's play in Wellington on Saturday. An England team spokesman told reporters the 25-year-old had turned his left ankle during a game of soccer between members of the England team after the day's play ended.
England all but batted New Zealand out of the second Test with their top-six guiding their side to a 421-run lead at the close of play on the third day in Wellington on Saturday. Already ahead by 144 runs, the England batsmen produced a series of partnerships to reach 277 for nine at the end of play, giving their bowlers a formidable target to defend and at least two days to try to level the three-match series.
James Anderson claimed a five-wicket haul to help England dismiss New Zealand for 198 in the first innings.
England crawled to 286 for 6 at the close on the third day of the first Test. They trail their hosts by 184 runs with two days to play.
England slipped to 87 for two, in reply to New Zealand's 470 all out, at the close of play on the second day of the first Test.
Jamie How scored a superb 139 as New Zealand and England played out a thrilling draw in their fourth one-day international at Napier on Wednesday.
England continued their perfect start to their tour of New Zealand by beating the Kiwis by 32 runs in their first Twenty20 international at Eden Park in Auckland on Tuesday. England, who opened their two-month tour with back-to-back wins over Canterbury last weekend, compiled an impressive total of 184 for eight from their 20 overs. New Zealand could only manage 152 in reply despite a gallant 61 from their big all-rounder Jacon Oram.
England pace bowler Steve Harmison claimed two late wickets to leave Sri Lanka on 147 for four at the close on the opening day of the third and final Test on Tuesday.
After being dismissed for 225, England bowled out the West Indies for 145 in the 40th over, in the first ODI.
The West Indies, chasing an unlikely victory target of 455, were 22 for one at the close after having bowled England out for 313.
Dilhara Fernando claimed a career-best six for 27 to propel Sri Lanka to a 107-run win over England.
Owais Shah scored 82 as England beat Sri Lanka by 65 runs in the second ODI.
New Zealand won the sixth ODI by 90 runs to post their first win in the tri-series.
West Indies fought back after lunch with four wickets to reduce England to 167 for five at tea on the first day.
Pakistan were set 159 runs to win from 32 overs according to the Duckworth-Lewis calculation.
England beat New Zealand by 14 runs at the Gabba in Brisbane on Tuesday to join Australia in the tri-series one-day international finals
England beat Pakistan by three wickets in the fifth and final ODI.
England reached 138 for three at stumps on day one after claiming Sri Lanka for 141 runs in the second Test
Pakistan routed England by nine wickets in the one-off Twenty20 international in Manchester on Wednesday to end their tour on a high.
Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow and fast bowler Mark Wood produced a rearguard counter-attack to drag England back into the second Test against New Zealand on Friday as the visitors ended the first day at Hagley Oval on 290 for eight.
South Africa moved cautiously on to 214 for five in reply to England's 458 at the close on the second day of the first Test helped by a gritty performance from Temba Bavuma at Lord's in London on Friday.
England won the toss and batted first, reaching 172-8 from their 20 overs, with James Vince top scoring with a sprightly 38 from 24 balls, while Jos Buttler (33) and opener Jason Roy (29) also contributed.
England failed to make the inroads into the Australian batting order they needed after gambling on bowling first in the inaugural day-night Ashes Test on Saturday and the hosts reached the second break on 138 for two.
Joe Root's unbeaten 149 put England in complete control of the final Test against India and they picked up the wickets of openers Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir before lunch on the third day on Sunday.