Smith enhanced his reputation with a dominant display

Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs made centuries as South Africa dominated the opening day of the fourth Test against West Indies at Centurion.

The home side, already 2-0 up in the series and put in to bat, were 302-1 when bad light ended play early.

They became the first pair in Test history to post three stands in excess of 300 before Smith was caught behind off Corey Collymore for 139.

Gibbs was 139 not out at the close, with Jacques Rudolph on one.

West Indies went into the game with a four-man seam attack in the hope of exploiting a greenish coloured pitch.

South Africa adopted a similar policy with slow left-armer Paul Adams making way for all-rounder Andrew Hall.

But Brian Lara's decision to put the home side in backfired as the opening pair shared a partnership of 301.

The start was delayed for 20 minutes by rain, but once under way South Africa's openers encountered few problems.

Smith reached his sixth Test century an hour after lunch off 125 balls, scoring 54 of those runs in front of square of the leg side.

300+ PARTNERSHIPS in TESTS 3 G Smith/H Gibbs (South Africa) 368 v Pakistan 2003 338 v England 2003 301 v W Indies 2004 2 D Bradman/W Ponsford (Australia) 451 v England 1934 388 v England 1934 2 R Dravid/VVS Laxman (India) 376 v Australia 2001 303 v Australia 2003

Gibbs was slightly less fluent than his captain but his 13th Test century, and his third in successive matches, included 14 fours and a six.

An attack which saw Merv Dillon and Corey Collymore recalled in place of Adam Sanford and spinner Dave Mohammed struggled to maintain a consistently threatening line and length.

Fidel Edwards obtained swing through the air and movement off the seam without success.

Smith might have been run out for 23 in the 12th over with the total on 54 but point fielder Ramnaresh Sarwan, fielding ran with the ball before throwing over the stumps.

The South Africa captain finally fell two overs before the close, chasing an away-swinger from Collymore, after striking 21 fours and two sixes.

South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Mark Boucher (wkt), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Neil McKenzie, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel.

West Indies: Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Smith, Ridley Jacobs (wkt), Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore.

Umpires: David Shepherd (Eng), Srinivas Venkataraghavan (Ind). Television umpire: Brian Jerling (SA).

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL).