MANCHESTER, England, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Three wickets before lunch set England on their way towards victory on the fourth day of the fourth and final test against South Africa on Monday.

Set a daunting 380 to win on a surface offering plenty of encouragement for the bowlers, South Africa went in for lunch at Old Trafford at 40 for three off 19 overs.

It was always going to be a testing time for the tourists' top order and Stuart Broad struck in the fourth over with a beautiful delivery that straightened off the seam and clipped Dean Elgar's edge, to the delight of Jonny Bairstow who snaffled up the catch.

Heino Kuhn then edged Anderson to Alastair Cook at slip and on the final ball before lunch Temba Bavuma was given caught behind, after review, from the bowling of Toby Roland-Jones.

Earlier South African paceman Morne Morkel finished off England's second innings, picking up the final two wickets.

Morkel removed Broad, caught at cover, and Anderson, caught at short-leg, as England ended their second innings on 243.

The seamer ended with figures of 4-41, while England's Moeen Ali was unbeaten on 75 after an enterprising evening session on Sunday.

England lead the four test series 2-1 as they seek their first home series win over South Africa since 1998.

(Reporting by Simon Evans, editing by Pritha Sarkar) ((simon.evans@thomsonreuters.com;))