Even though first-innings double-centurion Brian Lara was still at the crease, the game was finished as a contest when Makhaya Ntini ripped out the heart of the second innings late on day four.

Ntini, who won the Man-of-the-Match award for his nine wickets, was at his devastating best in reducing West Indies to 25-3.

Ntini hit the off-stumps of both Wavell Hinds and Vasbert Drakes so hard that they almost broke, while he nearly ripped off Daren Ganga's pads when trapping him leg-before.

It was a display packed with such aggression and panache that one could understand why he is considered a role model and one of the most popular sportsmen in the country.

Andre Nel was also a great surprise, bowling as quickly as 93 mph at times and really rattling the West Indies with his in-your-face attitude.

And Shaun Pollock may have got slower with the passing years, but his accuracy is so uncanny that once the batsmen made mistakes, the result was lethal.

These three pacemen simply tormented West Indies, though leg-spinner Robin Peterson will remember the Test for the wrong reasons, going for a world record 28 runs in one over to skipper Lara.

The pitch played excellently and did not start disintegrating until day five, despite the cracked appearance as early as day two.

After winning the toss and batting first, South Africa showed why they and their captain Graeme Smith are rated so highly.

Darryl Cullinan, a recent South Africa Test player, was moved to remark: "Gosh, is this guy Graeme Smith special or what?"

Smith's 132, made with great concentration and purpose, and Jacques Kallis' equally wonderful 178, effectively put paid to any hope West Indies had of winning. After making 581 in the first innings, South Africa could not lose.

The Windies also paid for a strange decision, playing the already injured and very important fast bowler, Corey Collymore.

To their credit, they managed well after their senior opening batsman, Chris Gayle, tore his hamstring in the outfield.

Ganga, promoted to opener, batted confidently in the first dig, but only Lara, and to a lesser extent Shivnarine Chanderpaul, could be given any real credit. Ramnaresh Sarwan was a disappointment.

Lara's 202 - almost half of the team total of 410 - was a great innings of survival under severe pressure, an effort worthy of very high praise.

It was a good Test match, but West Indies were playing catch-up throughout and were clearly the inferior outfit.

Indeed, with South Africa prevailing in a tough but perhaps not so close encounter, it paves the way for a repeat of 1998, when they won the first Test and then the rest.