BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Sulieman Benn continued his impressive form in this series, but South Africa gained control of the third and final Test against West Indies yesterday at Kensington Oval through resolute batting.

The beanpole left-arm spinner captured four wickets for 59 runs from 31 overs, as South Africa, replying to West Indies’ first innings total of 231, reached 285 for six at the close on the second day.

The main stumbling blocks in the way of Benn and the rest of the West Indies attack were A.B. de Villiers and Ashwell Prince, although South Africa captain Graeme Smith made 70 and Jacques Kallis scored 43.

After West Indies seemed to have gained a bit of an edge, when South Africa slipped to 145 for five just after lunch, de Villiers with 73 and Prince with an unbeaten 55 rescued their side.

For almost four hours, West Indies offered few alarms to the pair, and they put together a record stand of 134 for the sixth wicket.

The hard-working Benn made a welcomed breakthrough for West Indies about 15 minutes before the close, when de Villiers tried to cut his 189th ball for a seventh four, and was caught behind after batting just over four hours to upset South Africa’s plans.

Earlier, West Indies captured two wickets, one of them Graeme Smith, to undermine South Africa’s plans and leave the visitors on 145 for four.

Benn gave West Indies a boost in the final half-hour before the interval, when he had Smith, the South Africa captain, caught at forward short leg.

It was a timely breakthrough for West Indies, after Smith and Jacques Kallis had put on 62 for the fourth wicket.

Debutant fast bowler Brandon Bess had collected his maiden Test wicket, when he provided the early scalp for West Indies, having night-watchman Paul Harris caught at first slip for 11.

After lunch, Benn outfoxed Kallis with the last ball of the first over, when the South African vice captain offered no stroke to an arm ball, and was bowled.

West Indies failed to press the advantage, and Prince joined De Villiers to carry the Proteas to tea on 203 for five.

Kemar Roach felt he had de Villiers caught behind on eight, when the batsman appeared to feather an edge to ‘keeper Denesh Ramdin, but umpire Steve Davis ruled “not-out”.

West Indies considered a review of the decision, but video replays shown later were inconclusive, and proved that they were correct in deciding not to challenge Davis’ verdict.

After tea, West Indies continued the long, hard toil for wickets, as de Villiers and Prince posted their individual landmarks.

West Indies conceded a five to de Villiers that carried him to his 50 from 131 balls, and formally put the South Africans in the lead.

De Villiers drove Kemar Roach to Brendan Nash at cover-point, and the fielder’s throw was off the mark at the striker’s end, and four overthrows were given away.

Nash had tried to run out Prince with that throw, and the left-hander continued merrily to reach his 50 from 134 deliveries, with a sweep for a single through the leg-side off Benn.

Just when it appeared West Indies would endure a wicket-less toil in the evening session, Benn again proved his value to the side, when he removed de Villiers, much to the delight of his team-mates, and carried his aggregate of wickets to 13.

West Indies trail 0-1 in the series, following a 163-run defeat in the first Test in Trinidad, and a draw in the second Test in St. Kitts.

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 231
(D. Bravo 61; J. Botha 4-56)

SOUTH AFRICA 1st Innings
(overnight 46 for two)
*G. Smith c Richards b Benn 70
A. Petersen c Chanderpaul b Roach 1
H. Amla c Nash b Benn 5
P. Harris c *Gayle b Bess 11
J. Kallis b Benn 43
A.B. deVilliers c wkpr Ramdin b Benn 73
A. Prince not out 55
+M. Boucher not out 4
Extras (b5, lb5, w5, nb8) 23
TOTAL (6 wkts, 104 overs) 285
To bat: J. Botha, D. Steyn, M. Morkel
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Petersen), 2-41 (Amla), 3-60 (Harris), 4-122 (*Smith), 5-145 (Kallis), 6-279 (de Villiers)
Bowling: Roach 20-6-43-1 (nb1, w2); Bess 9-0-65-1 (nb7, w3); Shillingford 25-2-85-0; Benn 31-7-59-4; D.J. Bravo 17-8-21-0; *Gayle 2-1-2-0
Position: South Africa lead by 54 runs with four first innings wickets standing