Walsh, playing his 129th Test and in his 17th year of five-day cricket, reached the landmark figure when he had Gary Kirsten caught behind by Ridley Jacobs, before trapping Jacques Kallis lbw for a duck.

In March last year, Walsh broke Indian Kapil Dev's world record haul of 434 Test victims in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Jamaica.

"It's been a big drain just thinking about it from the begining of the series," Walsh said. "I'm happy to get this out of the way.

"I'm just hoping to get through the series here. I don't think 600 is on the cards."

The record is merely the latest for a player whose achievements owe as much to stamina as they do to natural ability.

Although he has not officially announced his retirement, it is accepted that the series against South Africa will be his last.

His triumph on Monday ensured the remaining three Test matches, in Barbados, Antigua and his home country, Jamaica, will be an extended valedictory for one of the most respected men in cricket.

Walsh took 28833 deliveries, more than 1000 more than anyone else has sent down, to break into statistical territory that for generations was thought to be out of reach.

Gangly

When he played in his first Test match in November 1984 he was a gangly 22-year-old who backed up the great fast bowling trio of the late Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding.

Indeed, he did not even get to bowl in his first Test innings as Australia were shot out for 76 on a bouncy pitch in Perth.

"I just try to look after myself," he said in January at the end of his fifth and final tour of Australia.

"I try to listen to my body and work along with it.

"One of the main things is that I enjoy competing against the opposition and I enjoy trying to do a job for the team.

Walsh has gradually been clocking up the milestones which lead to cricketing immortality.

It took him 80 matches to reach 300 wickets in England in 1995, making him the tenth man to join the "300 club".

Then he became the all-time leading wicket-taker for the West Indies, overtaking Marshalls record of 376 during the first Test against South Africa in 1998/99.

His next target was Kapil Devs world mark of 434 and he achieved it in his 114th Test a year ago, amid emotional scenes in his home town of Kingston, Jamaica, when Henry Olonga, Zimbabwe's last batsman, was caught at short leg.

Walsh has taken five wickets in an innings 21 times, with a best of seven for 37 against New Zealand in Wellington in 1994/95. He has taken 10 wickets in a match three times.