The home side, already 3-0 up in the series, declared on 406 for eight and then reduced the tourists to 89 for four by close of play in Cape Town.

Cullinan made 168 to surpass his previous best of 153 not out against India in Calcutta in 1996-7, but tight bowling by the tourists slowed South Africa's progress during the morning session.

They managed only 49 runs in 28 overs but Cullinan and Jacques Kallis extended their third-wicket partnership to 235 before the latter was caught behind off Ottis Gibson.

Kallis batted 430 minutes for his 110, which included only nine boundaries, and his departure was quickly followed by the dismissal of captain Hansie Cronje, who lasted just seven balls before flashing at a delivery from Nixon McLean.

Jonty Rhodes upped the tempo after lunch as he joined Cullinan in a stand of 64 but he was bowled by spinner Carl Hooper when he tried to cut a ball of too full a length.

Cullinan's innings finally came to an end after seven hour and four minutes when he gloved a bouncer from McLean to give Ridley Jacobs his fourth catch of the innings. The right-hander had faced 306 balls and struck 20 fours

West Indies have struggled with the bat and did so again as Donald removed Philo Wallace, Junior Murray and skipper Brian Lara to leave them tottering on 14 for three.

Lara trod on his stumps as he went back to try and deal with a rising delivery but Donald's spell was cut short by a hamstring strain, which may put him out of the rest of the match.

David Terbrugge dismissed Shivnarine Chanderpaul before Carl Hooper gave West Indies hope of reaching the follow-on target of 207 by crashing a half-century from just 53 balls.

Scorecard (at close):

South Africa 1st innings:

G Kirsten c Jacobs b Ambrose 0
H Gibbs c Wallace b Dillon 42
J Kallis c Jacobs b Gibson 110
D Cullinan c Jacobs b McLean 168
H Cronje c Jacobs b McLean 0
J Rhodes b Hooper 34
S Pollock c Lara b Dillon 9
M Boucher not out 15
A Donald c Wallace b Dillon 0
D Terbrugge not out 4

Extras (3lb, 20nb, 1w) 24
Total (for 8 wickets declared, 146.5 overs) 406

Did not bat: P Adams.

Fall: 1-0 2-74 3-309 4-312 5-376 6-380 7-397 8-397

Bowling: Ambrose 24.1-7-49-1, McLean 25.5-7-76-2, Gibson 30-4-92-1, Dillon 33.5-6-99-3, Hooper 27-6-60-1, Chanderpaul 6-0-27-0.

West Indies 1st innings:

P Wallace c Cullinan b Donald 8
J Murray c Boucher b Donald 0
S Chanderpaul c Rhodes b Terbrugge 6
B Lara hit wicket b Donald 4
C Hooper not out 53
D Ganga not out 16

Extras (2lb) 2
Total (for 4 wickets, 33 overs) 89

Fall: 1-1 2-10 3-14 4-34

To bat: R Jacobs, O Gibson, N McLean, M Dillon, C Ambrose.