West Indies may regret giving Jacques Kallis an early life

Jacques Kallis equalled South Africa's Test centuries record as the tourists held out for a draw in the first Test against West Indies in Guyana.

South Africa reached 269-4 as Kallis scored 109 not out to equal Gary Kirsten's record of 21 Test match tons.

Herschelle Gibbs contributed 49 in a fourth-wicket stand of 139 which wrecked West Indies' hopes of victory.

They needed eight wickets on the final day to win the match, but managed just two as the pitch flattened out.

West Indies had forced South Africa to follow on 355 runs behind their own first innings total of 543-5 declared.

But although they had time to bowl 161 overs at the tourists over the final two days, too many long partnerships left them frustrated.

Blunders by the home side also played their part in squandering their chances of victory in Georgetown.

We weren't at the levels we needed to be Graeme Smith South Africa captain More reaction

Windies wicket-keeper Courtney Browne dropped Kallis when he was on 22 as well as Jacques Rudolph early on the final day.

Given an astonishing four lives in all, Rudolph was finally trapped lbw by off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine for 24.

But it was the only wicket that fell in a dour morning session dominated by defensive batting.

The tourists began the final day in Guyana with Rudolph on 19 and Kallis on one in a score of 85-2.

Kallis seemed in fine fettle until feathering a Shiv Chanderpaul delivery to Browne, which the wicket-keeper got a glove to, but could not hold.

West Indies celebrate their only wicket of the morning session

Earlier, Daren Powell was the unlucky bowler when Browne fluffed an offering down the leg-side with a rather clumsy dive.

There was general surprise when Chanderpaul, captaining the side in the absence of Brian Lara, chose not to take the second new ball.

His decision was justified when Rudolph - and, so nearly, Kallis - fell to the slow bowlers.

But the hosts had to wait until the 22nd over after tea to break the South African defence again.

Ryan Hinds' left-arm delivery turned to clip off-stump and end Gibbs' innings as the batsman declined to play a shot.

Mark Boucher came in and finished on four not out before the two captains shook hands on a draw.

West Indies: W W Hinds, D S Smith, D Ganga, D J Pagon, S Chanderpaul (Capt), R O Hinds, N Deonarine, C O Browne (Wkt) D B Powell, P T Collins, R D King.

South Africa: G C Smith (Capt), A B de Villiers, J A Rudolph J H Kallis, H H Gibbs, M V Boucher (Wkt), A J Hall, N Boje, M Ntini C K Langeveldt, A Nel.