South Africa laboured to 85 for two in its follow-on second innings on Sunday, battling to save the opening Test against the West Indies as day four at Bourda drew to a close.
South Africa, who resumed their first innings at 130 for six, were bowled out just before lunch for 188.
Pacers Pedro Collins (three for 39), Reon King (three for 48) and Daren Powell (three for 61) led the West Indies, which held a lead of 355.
South Africa’s batsmen, who had a number of undisciplined strokes in their modest first innings, opted for an ultra-defensive strategy in their second knock.
Captain Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers added 46 for the first wicket before both fell in the final session to energise the biggest crowd of the match, estimated at 10 000.
Smith scored 34 and De Villiers made 20 before Collins and King made breakthroughs.
Collins ended with one for 12, while King took one for 18.
Jacques Rudolph reached the close undefeated on 19. Jacques Kallis laboured through 44 deliveries to score one not out.
The West Indies trio of fast bowlers maintained their supremacy in the morning session to complete their domination of the South African first innings.
Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher and Nicky Boje stalled the Windies for the opening hour. The pair carried their seventh-wicket partnership to 63 before King broke through with a fine delivery.
Boje hit five fours in his 34 before he was bowled through the gate by an inswinger. The left-hander faced 81 balls in 108 minutes.
The innings faded quickly after Boje’s dismissal, with the last four wickets falling for 30.
Powell claimed Makhaya Ntini lbw as he played across the line.
Boucher, who batted just short of four hours for a joint top-score of 41, eventually chased a wide outswinger from Collins and edged to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at first slip. The right-hander struck five fours from 157 deliveries.
South Africa’s last pair of Charl Langeveldt and Andre Nel remained for half an hour before the debutante Narsingh Deonarine claimed a wicket with his off-spin.
Langeveldt, who scored 10, swatted a full toss low to short extra cover to bring the innings to a close just before lunch.
Smith and De Villiers brought a defiant approach to the visitors’ second innings and thwarted the West Indian bowlers for three overs before the interval and the entire second session.
They spent 35 overs to add 46 before the West Indies came to life in the final session.
King claimed De Villiers for the second time in the match in the first over after tea, immediately lifting the West Indian mood.
De Villiers, who spent 113 balls and 134 minutes in compiling 24, dragged on to his stumps as he tried to force off the back foot.
Smith, almost run out soon afterward, also fell to his first-innings conqueror as he missed a flat-footed drive to an inswinger and was bowled by Collins. The left-handed skipper hit 34 off 139 deliveries in three hours.
Rudolph and Kallis managed to stay to the end, but left-hander Rudolph enjoyed moments of good fortune.
The left-hander was lucky to survive his fifth ball after swatting a long hop from Deonarine perilously close to deep square leg. He also had difficult chances dropped when on two and 14.
Devon Smith at slip was late on a sharp edge off Ryan Hinds, who then missed a return catch away to his right as Rudolph drove a full toss.
Kallis was more assured as he showed his determination to make up for a first-innings duck. — Sapa-AP