England's Steven Finn (left) celebrates taking the wicket of South Africa's Jaques Kallis during the Third Investec Test Match at Lord's Cricket Ground, London. Photo credit: Nigel French/PA Wire.

Steven Finn believes he has left himself a little to work on, despite his handsome start to England’s bid for victory over South Africa at Lord’s.

Finn and James Anderson both took three wickets as the tourists were first reduced to 54 for four but then recovered to 262 for seven - on the back of JP Duminy’s battling 61 - in the third Investec Test.

Duminy shared in two of three successive half-century stands, and Finn ended up the most expensive of England’s bowlers on a first day which turned from gold to graft for them.

He said: “I personally maybe chased wickets a little bit.

“Trying to come into the team as a wicket-taker, maybe I searched for it a little bit.”

England are well aware they need to wrap up the South Africa innings quickly today to retain their advantage, and Finn will be happy enough if a little fortune comes his way again.

He admitted that was the case yesterday morning, to a degree, after having both Alviro Petersen and Jacques Kallis caught behind down the leg-side.

“Obviously, those wickets are a little bit fortunate to get caught down the leg-side - because if they go six inches further, it’s four runs.

“But we deserved some luck like that, from the way we bowled in that first session, and fortunately it happened for me.”

Finn appears to be conquering the habit of knocking over the non-striker’s stumps - something which cost him dear in the drawn Test at Headingley, when he had Graeme Smith caught at slip only to hear a dead-ball call from the umpire.

“It’s something I went away and worked on between these two Tests,” he said.

“It’s a work in progress, obviously, but I hope my bowling will keep improving as a result of it.”

Duminy, Jacques Rudolph and Vernon Philander all made England work for their three wickets after lunch.

But Finn still believes the hosts are slightly ahead of the game.

“The wicket was a bit tacky first thing, so the ball nipped around a bit,” he said.

“But as the sun bakes it, there could be a bit in it for Swanny later in the match. It will be an intersting game of cricket, on a very good cricket wicket.”

Among his successes so far, Kallis’ dismissal on DRS - even though it appeared his glove might not have been in contact with bat handle when he was hit on the bottom hand - was controversial.

Duminy said: It’s one of those things we can’t comment on - but we were a little disappointed.

“You win some, and you lose some.”