West Indies 408 & 146-8 South Africa 195: Bravo earns plaudits as West Indies grab control

West Indies established a 359-run lead over South Africa yesterday despite a late collapse on the third day of the first Test here in Port Elizabeth.

At the close, West Indies were 146 for 8 in their second innings having dismissed South Africa for 195, with the hosts' medium-pacer, Dwayne Bravo, taking 4 for 24. West Indies made 408 in their first innings.

A B de Villiers top-scored for South Africa with a gritty 59, in an innings of more than three hours during which he faced 127 balls and struck nine fours.

South Africa slipped to 129 for 6 with the 16th ball of the day's play, when Mark Boucher (20) hooked into the hands of Daren Powell at fine-leg to secure fast bowler Jerome Taylor's third wicket.

De Villiers and Paul Harris stood firm for 18.1 overs in a stand of 43. The partnership was ended in the fifth over before lunch when De Villiers was squared up by a delivery from Bravo which went on to uproot his off-stump.

Four overs later Harris, who faced 68 balls for his nine, scooped a drive off Bravo and was caught by Taylor at mid-off. Bravo had Andre Nel caught by Daren Ganga at mid-on for 16 with the third ball after lunch, and in Bravo's next over Dale Steyn hooked a catch to Powell at fine leg to end the innings.

In West Indies' second innings opener Chris Gayle hit five fours and a six in his 29 before edging to wicketkeeper Boucher off fast bowler Makhaya Ntini.

Pace bowler Jacques Kallis struck with his first delivery, trapping Runako Morton in front for five in the sixth over before tea. Ganga and Samuels added 65 for the third wicket before Ganga, who scored 45, tried to take a single off left-arm spinner Harris and was run out by Herschelle Gibbs' direct hit from point.

Samuels (40) was out 10 balls later when he chopped a delivery from Steyn on to his stumps. Harris removed Bravo for 10 after a drive that was heaved down Gibbs' throat at long-on. Three balls later Steyn had first-innings century maker Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught by Kallis at second slip, for eight.

Harris trapped Daren Sammy leg-before for three before Denesh Ramdin (0) gloved a bouncer from Steyn to Gibbs in the gully.