Michael Vaughan pulled no punches about a dismal first day as full-time England captain and admitted ''we weren't just good enough''.

South Africa took a vice-like grip on the second npower Test at Lord's as England were routed for 173 after being put into bat by South African skipper Graeme Smith, who then hit an unbeaten 80 out of his side's 151 for one.

Vaughan scored a solid 33 but a mixture of disciplined bowling and rash strokeplay led to England's downfall with Makhaya Ntini claiming five for 75.

It was a different scenario to the success Vaughan had enjoyed in leading England to their NatWest Series triumph.

Vaughan said: ''Obviously it didn't go quite to plan. They won the toss and stuck us in but we were going to bat anyway so there are no excuses there.

''The cloud came over, they put the ball in the right areas and the wicket just did enough but we are pretty honest in our dressing room.

''As a batting unit to score around 170 on that wicket just wasn't a good enough effort. The fact Darren Gough and James Anderson put on 50 at the end showed that it was a good wicket.

''When we went out to bowl the sun was still shining and for the first part of their innings the wicket was very flat.

''Towards the end the cloud came over and Steve Harmison started to zip the ball about a little bit. But there are no excuses.

''We just weren't good enough today. We are up against it and chasing the game now and that is probably an understatement."

It was an unusual occurrence for an England captain to front up to the media after the first day of a Test but Vaughan said: ''I am pretty honest and open about the game and there's no point in me saying that conditions didn't suit and we were unlucky."

His counterpart Smith has now scored 442 runs in the series in just three innings after his knocks of 277 and 85 at Edgbaston in the drawn first Test although he had a life when on eight in his latest knock.

Vaughan spelt out his determination to remain calm and rational in adversity despite his disappointment at the day's events.

He said: ''I don't think shouting and screaming in the dressing room is going to change the fact we only got 170.''

The day was special for former herd boy Ntini, who hails from Mdingi in South Africa's rural Eastern Cape.

He said: ''I had never played a Test match at Lord's and my wish was to make sure I leave with my name on one of the honours boards in the pavilion - for taking five for something - and I have achieved that.

''I know Jonty Rhodes' name is up there and I wanted to see another South African on those boards. I wanted to leave a mark so that when the next generation come to play England they can look at those boards and see my name up there.''

England were put into bat in conditions which were seamer-friendly but hardly treacherous. Vaughan had spent the build-up to the Test being unveiled as Hussain's successor and stressing that although he had a more relaxed demeanour than his predecessor, he was just as competitive.

That soon became apparent when England wickets fell at alarming regularity while he attempted to play the responsible role befitting his role as the new captain, struggling for 22 overs to withstand the accuracy of all-rounder Andrew Hall and Shaun Pollock.

By the time he fell, cutting loose and pulling a short delivery from Makhaya Ntini only to be caught on the backward square leg boundary, England's innings was already in disarray with Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher and Hussain all falling to the new ball.

Alec Stewart followed five balls after lunch, pulling a short delivery from outside off stump straight to square leg, Ashley Giles edged Hall lamely to first slip and Andrew Flintoff picked out the fielder on the backward square leg boundary with another of his thunderous pulls.

But for Darren Gough's belligerent innings, hammering a crucial 34, England would not have even reached 150 and with last man James Anderson demonstrating an improving aptitude with the bat, the pair added 55 to at least provide some resistance