Joy was unconfined at the Bourda after the fourth day's play in the first Test between the West Indies and South Africa on Monday after the home side's batsmen all but removed the possibility of defeat and gave their bowlers a chance of fashioning an unlikely victory on the fifth and final day.

The home side closed in a position of strength at 286-4, leading by 258 runs and concerned only about having enough overs left to put the tourists batsmen under pressure.

Resuming at 50-0, West Indies batted with such caution and inertia as to seen static on a schizophrenic pitch that was a spoilt brat on day three but a sleeping baby on day four. Just 44 runs were scored in the morning session as Shaun Pollock set claustrophobic fields while the afternoon session yielded another 77.

The final session, however, saw Carl Hooper once again show inspirational leadership in his first Test as captain as the torpid run rate suddenly accelerated once the danger point had been passed.

Hooper swept spinner Nicky Boje for six behind square leg on his way to an unbeaten 31 from just 56 balls and 20-year-old Ramnaresh Sarwan followed his captain's example with a flurry of expertly crafted, attacking shots that saw him finish on 71 not out with his last 21 runs coming from only 18 deliveries.

South Africa's domination of the morning session was absolute in it's control of runs but the side could claim to have been equally in control of the fall of wickets with just Wavell Hinds (14) and Chris Gayle (44) returning to the pavilion despite everything South Africa could throw at them.

Hinds wafted at a slower ball from Donald and edged to 'keeper Mark Boucher while Gayle edged (questionably) Boje to Boucher as well. The Test might have taken a radical twist had Neil McKenzie been able to snap up a reflex catch at short leg off the full face of Brian Lara's bat before he had scored, but he didn't and Lara added 45 to his first innings 47 as the innings foundations were relaid.

Lara became the afternoon session's only casualty when he fell into an obvious but nonetheless efficient plan involving a slow pitch, a short extra cover and a slower ball. Makhaya Ntini provided the delivery and Pollock took the catch as Lara attempted to drive.

The last success for South Africa came in the final session when the second 20-year-old in the West Indies team, Marlon Samuels, lost concentration after a marathon half century spanning 199 balls in over four-and-a-half hours and drove loosely at a reverse swinging yorker from Jacques Kallis which removed middle stump.

Hooper and Sarwan will no doubt continue on the fifth morning in attempt to push the lead beyond 300 as quickly as possible but, by the South African players' own admission, the target is already out of reach barring a serious outbreak of food poisoning amongst the home team's bowling attack.

Celebrations in the Caribbean already, then, as their miserable run of seven consecutive Test losses comes to an end. And it may yet be with a victory.

© CricInfo