South African pace bowler Makhaya Ntini struck three times in three overs on Monday to leave the West Indies tottering on 31 for three and in grave danger of losing the first Test at the Wanders.
At stumps on day four, the Windies still needed 347 runs with seven second-innings wickets in hand for an unlikely victory.
Having to survive the final 10 overs of the day, the Windies crumbled in the face of Ntini’s hostile spell.
Ntini castled both Wavell Hinds and night watchman Vasbert Drakes before trapping the often intractable Daren Ganga lbw for 10 on the way to recording figures of three for 12.
Barring the way between South Africa and victory is Brian Lara, the double centurion from the first innings who will have to play another remarkable innings if the Windies are to save this Test.
Earlier, Graeme Smith declared the South African second innings closed on 226 for six, a lead of 377. After dismissing the Windies 70 minutes into the morning’s play for 410, the stage was set for a bold South African move.
Smith responded by belting seven fours in making 44 before being caught at point off Vasbert Drakes — this after Drakes had broken the nose of his opening partner, Herschelle Gibbs.
The 29-year-old Gibbs attempted to hook a bouncer but missed the ball completely. The ball buckled the top bar of his grill which, in turn, slammed into the bridge of his nose.
He was immediately sent to an ear, nose and throat specialist at the Rosebank clinic for X-rays.
The X-rays revealed that two nasal bones had been fractured. Gibbs will undergo surgery on Wednesday but should be available for the second Test beginning at Kingsmead on Boxing Day.
His injury and Smith’s dismissal robbed the hosts of some impetus with Jacques Kallis and Jacques Rudolph looking barely interested in a scoring a run before tea.
The final session was a far different affair, though.
Kallis was the first to break the shackles, hitting a six and three fours in making 44 before being trapped in front by Wavell Hinds.
Hinds, again the Windies most successful bowler, was on hand once more to dismiss Rudolph for 44. His departure, however, signalled an almost frenzied approach to scoring.
Although at times not all that pretty, the ploy worked with Mark Boucher, Martin van Jaarsveld, Shaun Pollock, Neil McKenzie and Robin Peterson all scoring briskly.
That South Africa is in such a strong position was due mainly to the pace pairing of Ntini and Andre Nel.
The duo bowled with sustained pace and aggression to dismiss the West Indies for 410 and hand the hosts a first-innings lead 151 runs.
The Windies, resuming on 363 for six, first lost Mervyn Dillon and Chris Gayle to Ntini, who finished with five for 94, the fifth time he has taken five wickets in an innings.
Nel was finally rewarded for his sterling efforts on Sunday by capturing the prize wicket of Brian Lara, but not before the Windies skipper had moved to 202 — the second time he has passed the double hundred mark.
Lara had slapped Nel through cover to bring up his double century from 273 balls before driving the next delivery straight to Martin van Jaarsveld.
Nel then had Fidel Edwards caught by Neil McKenzie to end with figures of three for 78. — Sapa