Ntini finished with figures of 5-49

South Africa closed on an innings victory against West Indies after dominating day three in Centurion.

Makhaya Ntini took six wickets in the day as West Indies were bowled out for 301 and then reduced to 44-2 following on, still 259 behind.

Chris Gayle, who top-scored with 77 in the first innings, retired hurt for 18 second time around after being struck by a rising ball.

Captain Brian Lara was also back in the pavilion after falling lbw for six.

Beginning the day 7-0 in reply to South Africa's mammoth 604-6, the tourists were soon 37-2 as Ntini enjoyed early success.

The pace bowler claimed his 150th Test wicket in his 42nd appearance when Ramnaresh Sarwan played onto his stumps after a brisk 13, shortly after opener Daren Ganga edged to slip for seven.

The West Indies would have been in worse trouble if South Africa captain Graeme Smith had held a difficult chance at fourth slip off Ntini when Lara was on 11.

Left-hander Gayle crashed three successive fours off Jacques Kallis to bring up the century stand.

Gayle was the only West Indies batsman to pass 50

Lara stated his intent by hooking Andre Nel for six over midwicket, but the bowler gained revenge, inducing an edge behind for 34.

Later Nel, who was married on Saturday evening, dismissed the West Indies skipper for the fifth time in the series.

Despite scoring quickly, five West Indies batsmen fell with their scores between 30 and 50.

Gayle was tamed shortly after lunch, when he cut Ntini to point after a 113-ball innings that included 14 fours and a six.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul dug in for 143 minutes to make 43.

But his dismissal, caught at slip off Nel to be the seventh wicket to fall, marked the beginning of the end.

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Vasbert Drakes and Merv Dillon opted to make quick runs against the old ball but were both out shortly after the new version was unwrapped.

Ntini bowled Dillon for 30 to finish with 5-49, and celebrated with a six scalp by clean-bowling Ganga for a duck.

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).