The paceman took four for 48 on the second day of the first Test at the Wanderers to move to a total of 379 career wickets.

At the close, South Africa were struggling at 217 for 6 in reply to the West Indies' first-innings total of 261.

South African captain Hansie Cronje was holding his side's innings together, with an unbeaten 38, and they will resume on Saturday 44 runs behind.

Walsh, who claimed the first three South African wickets of Adam Bacher, Jacques Kallis and Daryll Cullinan to keep his side in the game, overtook Marshall's record of 376 Test wickets.

The wicket of Bacher takes Wallsh level with Marshall

Earlier the tourists lost their last three batsmen while adding just 12 more runs to their overnight total in seven overs to be all out for 261.

Shaun Pollock had Nixon McLean and Curtly Ambrose caught behind by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher to finish with five for 54 - his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests - while Allan Donald removed Rawl Lewis.

But Walsh then hit back with the ball to see off opener Bacher, caught behind by debutant wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs for a single.

Kallis and Kirsten then put on 92 for the second wicket to give the home side the advantage.

Kallis played some stirring strokes in making 53 off 112 balls with eight fours before edging a back-foot drive to second slip, where Stuart Williams held a diving catch.

In his next over Walsh had Cullinan caught down the leg side by Jacobs.

Nixon McLean ended Kirsten's resistance on 62 and also added the wicket of Jonty Rhodes, while Walsh claimed his 379th wicket when he bowled Pollock.

Scoreboard:

South Africa first innings - Close:
G Kirsten b McLean 62
AM Bacher c Jacobs b Walsh 1
JH Kallis c Williams b Walsh 53
D Cullinan c Jacobs b Walsh 8
H Cronje not out 39
J Rhodes lbw b McLean 17
S Pollock b Walsh 11
M Boucher not out 2
Extras (18nb, 1b, 5lb) 24
Total (for six wickets, 73.4 overs) 217

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-102, 3-111, 4-154, 5-185, 6-209

Bowling: Ambrose 20-3-45-0, Walsh 20.4-4-48-4, McLean 15-0-60-2, Lewis 19-2-58-0

West Indies first innings:
C Lambert c Boucher b Pollock 8
P Wallace b Pollock 16
B Lara b Pollock 11
S Chanderpaul lbw b Donald 74
C Hooper c Cullinan b Donald 44
S Williams c Cronje b Terbrugge 35
R Jacobs c Cronje b Kallis 14
N McLean c Boucher b Pollock 28
R Lewis c Terbrugge b Donald 12
C Ambrose c Boucher b Pollock 0
C Walsh not out 5
Extras (7lb, 5nb, 2w) 14
Total (97 overs) 261

Fall of wickets: 1-17 2-24 3-41 4-132 5-177 6-198 7-235 8-255 9-255

Bowling: Donald 23-4-91-3, Pollock 23-4-54-5 (5nb), Kallis 15-5-37-1 (1w), Terbrugge 16-5-32-1, Cronje 1-0-3-0, Symcox 19-5-37-0.