West Indies' Jerome Taylor (left) successfully appeals the wicket of South Africa's Graeme Smith (centre) on the second day of the first Test in Port Elizabeth, yesterday. - Reuters

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (Reuters):

A DISCIPLINED century from Shivnarine Chander-paul and an incisive spell by fast bowler Daren Powell put West Indies on top on the second day of the first Test against South Africa yesterday.

Chanderpaul became the third player after West Indian Everton Weekes and Zimbabwe's Andy Flower to score half-centuries in seven consecutive Test innings with 104 in his team's first innings of 408. The left-hander faced 253 balls and hit 12 boundaries in an innings lasting more than six hours.

Powell followed up with three for 40 as South Africa stumbled to 122 for five at the close.

"It's great to be up there with those names," Chanderpaul told a news conference. "When you get an opportunity to get in, you want to make a big score. That's something I've been working on for the past couple of years."

After West Indies resumed on 281 for four, fast bowler Makhaya Ntini struck in the seventh over of the day when he found the leading edge of Dwayne Bravo's bat.

The ball looped up on the off-side where Ntini and Herschelle Gibbs, who was fielding in the gully, collided. Ntini took the catch to dismiss Bravo for 12. Neither Gibbs nor Ntini was injured.

In Ntini's next over, a superb away swinger took the outside edge of Denesh Ramdin's bat and he was caught by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for one.