Gayle and Sarwan set up the stalemate

West Indies 299 for 1 (Gayle 184*, Sarwan 103*) trail South Africa 588 for 6 dec (Kallis 147, Prince 131, Smith 126, de Villiers 114) by 289 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

In two years' time, Test cricket at the Antigua Recreation Ground will be a thing of the past. A new all-seater stadium has been promised for the 2007 World Cup, and for bowlers the world over, its development cannot come quickly enough. Today was another day of unrelenting run-scoring, which once again featured two centurions and a record-breaking unbeaten double-hundred stand. The only difference this time was that, for the first time since the first Test in Guyana four long weeks ago, it was West Indies who made all the running.

Until today, Chris Gayle's return to West Indian colours had not been a happy one. After missing that first Test because of the contracts dispute, Gayle had amassed a sorry tally of 12 runs in four innings, and had been looking more out of sorts than at any time in his career. His response today, however, was just typical. After South Africa had declared on a modest 588 for 6, Gayle slammed 26 fours and three massive sixes from 257 balls, as he rampaged to a magnificent 184 not out, his seventh Test century in his 50th match.

Gayle has long been capable of such feats of scoring. At The Oval last summer he cracked Matthew Hoggard for six fours in an over, en route to a stunning 79-ball hundred, and from the moment West Indies began their innings, he was in the mood for a confrontation. Shaun Pollock, who has missed South Africa's last five Tests through injury, was clobbered for 14 runs in his comeback over, and Monde Zondeki's first three-over spell went for 33, including a vast back-foot wallop for six over wide long-off. He brought his first fifty from 34 balls, his hundred from 96, and his 150 from 149. Had he not slowed significantly towards the close, he would have been on course for one of the fastest double-centuries of all time.

Gayle's partner throughout this frenzy was Ramnaresh Sarwan, who ticked along to a more conventional hundred, which he brought up in 222 balls, with 10 fours and two unexpected sixes from consecutive balls, as Graeme Smith's part-time offspin was beaten out of the attack. South Africa did make one notable breakthrough, when Wavell Hinds fell to Makhaya Ntini's first ball of the innings, but it was a false dawn, for no more wickets fell in the next 473 balls of the day.

By lunch, West Indies (aka Gayle) had clobbered their way to 90 for 1 from 13 overs, and when Ntini's fourth ball after the resumption was also crashed for six, it looked like more of the same would ensue. But Ntini and Pollock tightened their line admirably and while Gayle was forced to rein himself in a fraction, Sarwan was pinned on the shoulder by a sizzling bouncer from Ntini. Seven runs later he hooked and was dropped by Boeta Dippenaar at square leg.

It was the introduction of Kallis that reignited Gayle's run-spree. His very first delivery was dropped by Smith at slip, and went for four to boot, and Gayle followed up by slamming his third ball through mid-on for four. A scorching cover-drive off Zondeki carried him to 99, and the very next ball - his 96th - was tucked off his hips for the all-important single. It was the 50th century in 20 Tests in Antigua, a tally which tells its own story.

South Africa's only hope of stemming the tide was to turn to spin, and Boje embarked on an excellent restrictive spell that was only broken when Pollock allowed another four - from Gayle naturally - to pass through his legs. In Boje's next over, he was driven and flicked for two more fours as Gayle brought up his 150 and the West Indian 200. Five overs and 25 runs later, Sarwan flicked Pollock off his pads to reach the first fifty of his innings, although by the end of the day, like the tortoise to Gayle's hare, he was making up good ground.

Gayle's onslaught made South Africa's efforts on the first two days seem utterly pedestrian, and even their greater urgency on the third morning paled in comparison. Both Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince fell in pursuit of quick runs - to end an all-time South African fifth-wicket record of 267 - as 63 more runs were added in 18 overs. By the declaration, Mark Boucher had scored the four runs he needed to become the third wicketkeeper - after Rod Marsh and Ian Healy - to reach the double of 3000 runs and 300 dismissals.

There is absolutely no prospect of a result in this match, although with two days remaining, and licence to bat and bat and bat, the sky is the limit for the incumbent batsmen, if they can put their heads down tomorrow morning and start their innings afresh. As Brian Lara, looking on impatiently from the dressing-room, would testify, there are records to be had at this ground.

Jacques Kallis c Washington b Powell 147 (562 for 5)
Top-edged slog to deep mid-on

Ashwell Prince c Browne b Bravo 131 (563 for 6)
Misjudged cut off slower ball, scooped to keeper

Wavell Hinds c & b Ntini 0 (14 for 1)
Early on defensive push, taken one-handed in followthrough