Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan both scored centuries to cap the West Indies' best day's play in the series on a shortened fourth day of the fourth Test against South Africa on Monday.

The West Indies, who followed on 303 runs behind, were 263 for three when bad light ended play 17 overs early on a day that also was blighted by rain in the morning.

Gayle, who returned to the crease after being struck by a rising delivery from Makhaya Ntini on Sunday and retiring hurt, was 106 not out with Sarwan on 107 in an unbroken stand of 164, a West Indian record for the fourth wicket against South Africa.

The series has yielded 20 centuries so far, one behind the record of 21 scored by the West Indies and Australia in the Caribbean in 1955.

The West Indies were bowled out for 301 in their first innings, and forced to follow on after South Africa declared at a mammoth 604 for six towards the end of the second day.

The visitors resumed on Monday on 44 for two, though rain delayed the start by 30 minutes and reduced the morning session to just seven overs in which West Indies scored 19 runs to go to lunch on 63 for two.

The home side managed to break through in the 14th over after lunch when Shivnarine Chanderpaul cut a delivery from Jacques Kallis to Herschelle Gibbs at backward point to be dismissed for 27, ending a partnership of 67 with Sarwan.

Gayle then returned to the crease and proceeded to attack the South African bowlers, putting the home side under pressure for the first time in the match and eventually posting a healthy run rate of 3.3 per over.

South Africa's miserable day was compounded with all rounder Andrew Hall limping off with a suspected prolapsed disc in his back after bowling just two balls.

Scoreboard

South Africa (1st innings): 604-6 declared (H.Gibbs 192, G.Smith 139, K.Kallis 130 not out)

West Indies (1st innings): 301 (C.Gayle 77; M.Ntini 5-49)

West Indies (2nd innings): (overnight 44-2)
C.Gayle not out 106
D.Ganga Ntini 0
R.Sarwan not out 107
B.Lara lbw Nel 6
S.Chanderpaul c Gibbs b Kallis 27.

Extras: (b-4, lb-4, w-7, nb-2) 17

Total: (for three wickets, 80 overs) 263

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-32, 3-99.

Bowling: Pollock 19-8-31-0 (nb-2), Ntini 16-0-63-1 (w-5), Nel 14-2-60-1 (w-2), Kallis 16-4-49-1, Hall 0.2-0-4-0, Smith 8.4-1-24-0, Rudolph 6-0-24-0