South Africa slowed by Sarwan strokeplay after Boje's double blow

West Indies 347 & 170-5 South Africa 398

South Africa seized the initiative with three big West Indies wickets in a sensational 15 minutes before tea on the fourth day of the second Test here yesterday before Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo checked their advance with an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 78.

South Africa seized the initiative with three big West Indies wickets in a sensational 15 minutes before tea on the fourth day of the second Test here yesterday before Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo checked their advance with an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 78.

Sarwan ended the day on 93, Bravo on 30, and the West Indies 170 for 5, a tenuous lead of 119.

When the double-century makers of the first Test, Wavell Hinds and captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Brian Lara, fell for seven runs from 18 balls immediately before the second interval and Donovan Pagon followed 20 minutes into the final session, the West Indies seemed on a certain road to defeat at 92 for 5.

But Sarwan, batting without blemish, and all-rounder Bravo, lucky to escape a simple chance to Jacques Rudolph at square-leg off Monde Zondeki when 12, held firm to the end.

After limiting South Africa's first innings lead to 51, the home team was getting back on equal terms at 79 for 1 when left-arm spinner Nicky Boje removed Hinds, lbw playing back, for 22 and Lara, fifth ball for four, in successive overs.

Lara arrived to his usual noisy welcome from his home crowd but lasted just five balls, bowled as he tried to cut a ball that spun back, kept low and hit middle. When Makhaya Ntini won a close lbw decision against Chanderpaul in the next over the West Indies went to tea on 86 for 4. Ntini struck again after tea by yorking Pagon and South Africa could smell victory but they could not get another break.

Earlier, as they sought to increase the tempo, South Africa lost their last four wickets for 28, all to off-spinner Chris Gayle, to be all out for 398.

* In Wellington, New Zealand were 52 for 0 in their first innings, trailing Sri Lanka by 159 runs, at the close of the first day of the second Test yesterday.