He ended a third wicket stand of 160 between West Indies captain Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul by diving full length at square leg to end Lara's innings.

Rhodes: Caught cold by a rising delivery

But Gibbs was even more spectacular when he ran back from mid-wicket in pursuit of a mis-timed pull by Darren Ganga and was in mid-air when he took the ball one-handed.

The tourists were on 246 for eight in their second innings when bad light ended play early - a lead of only 132 runs.

Franklyn Rose had earlier produced the best Test figures of his career with seven for 84 as South Africa were all out for 312, but the vital wicket of Jonty Rhodes went to veteran Courtney Walsh.

Rhodes added only two to his overnight 85 when he was surprised by a lifting delivery and gave Walsh a simple return catch off the splice of his bat.

Donald: Reached a notable milestone

West Indies began badly as openers Philo Wallace and Junior Murray were out with only 41 on the board, but Lara and Chanderpaul answered the challenge with some scintillating shots.

Lara hammered 15 boundaries in his 79 and Chanderpaul suffered little by comparison after a shaky start when he was struck on the shoulder by Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock.

They were together for just over three hours but Gibbs ended Lara's hopes of a century and Chanderpaul (75) followed without another run being added when he was caught and bowled by Pollock.

Brian Lara crashes a boundary

Carl Hooper was out in controversial fashion when wicket-keeper Mark Boucher claimed the catch from an inside edge, but Tv replays showed he grounded the ball as he completed his leg-side dive.

Donald became the first South African to reach 250 Test wickets and ended the day with two for 58, but Pollock provided the main cutting edge with four for 74.

West Indies 1st innings: 198

South Africa 1st innings:

G Kirsten c Hooper b Rose 26
H Gibbs c Wallace b Rose 35
J Kallis c Jacobs b Rose 11
D Cullinan run out 40
H Cronje b Walsh 30
J Rhodes c and b Walsh 87
S Pollock c Hooper b Rose 30
M Boucher b Rose 0
P Symcox b Rose 12
A Donald b Rose 13
D Terbrugge not out 2

Extras (4b, 8lb, 1w, 13nb) 26
Total (all out, 98 overs) 312

Fall: 1-57 2-79 3-80 4-140 5-182 6-262 7-262 8-284 9-295

Bowling: Ambrose 17-1-60-0, Walsh 29-6-68-2, Rose 28-6-84-7, Lewis 20-2-70-0, Hooper 4-0-18-0

West Indies 2nd innings:

P Wallace c Boucher b Donald 1
J Murray c Gibbs b Kallis 29
S Chanderpaul c and b Pollock 75
B Lara c Gibbs b Terbrugge 79
C Hooper c Boucher b Pollock 2
D Ganga c Gibbs b Pollock 5
R Jacobs not out 12
R Lewis c Boucher b Donald 0
F Rose c Gibbs b Pollock 22
C Ambrose not out 0

Extras (12lb, 7nb, 2w) 21
Total (for 8 wickets, 77.5 overs) 246

Fall: 1-17 2-41 3-201 4-201 5-204 6-213 7-214 8-245