Shivnarine Chanderpaul continued to indulge his wellknown passion for batting and Ridley Jacobs his equally well-established fondness for South African bowling yesterday, creating between them a new, all-time South Africa record.
With their contrasting methods, the two unrelenting left-handers converted their partnership against Free State's in-experienced trundlers from the 145 they compiled on the first day to 359 on the second, creating a new fifth wicket standard for all firstclass cricket in South Africa and demolishing a record that had stood for 51 years.
The pair had just eclipsed the 342 Eric Rowan and Paul Gibb added for Transvaal against Northern Transvaal in the 1952-53 season when Jacobs, 65 at the start, was finally lbw to the leftarm swing bowler, Cliffie Deacon for 149.
His 11th first-class hundred was also his highest, surpassing his 131 against Australia `A' at Hobart on the 2000-01 tour when his sixth wicket stand with Brian Lara also set an all-time domestic record. Chanderpaul began the day with 111 and advanced to within 55 of the second triple century of his career he had clearly set as his goal.
When he was bowled round his legs ten minutes after tea by the other opening bowler, the right-arm Dillon duPreez, for 245, the innings quickly subsided.
Wavell Hinds, a late addition to the team on the opening day when opposing captain Gerry Liebenberg allowed him to replace the originally chosen Omari Banks, lashed four sixes in 38 but he was one of the last five wickets that went for 29.
He was lbw on the backfoot to duPreez, a strongly-built 21-year-old on debut who also took a return catch off Carlton Baugh.
Thandi Thabalala, a promising 19-year-old offspinner in his fourth firstclass match, was justly rewarded with the wickets of Merv Dillon and Ravi Rampaul.
The total of 618 was the highest in any match by the West Indies since their 692 for eight declared in the Oval Test against England in 1995.
The pitch then was similarly even, the bowling somewhat more challenging that the combination put forward by Free State.
They chose to give a rest to their captain, Allan Donald, Victor Mpitsang and Johan van der Wath of their regular attack that was further diminished by injuries to test men, Nicky Boje and Dewald Pretorious.
Taking their cue from their team, the supporters have also taken the match off. Fewer were in the Goodyear stadium to witness Chanderpaul and Jacobs make history than would watch a second eleven club match in Barbados/ Trinidad/Guyana on a Sat-urday afternoon.
By the time it was the home team's turn to bat, heavy overhead cloud made it so gloomy the floodlights had to be switched on.
They lost two wickets in three overs before the umpires had compassion and ended their misery. The left-handed Jonathan Beukes was caught behind off the last ball of Dillon's opening over and the right-handed Rayno Arendse became Rampaul's first firstclass victim for the West Indies when he couldn't defend his stumps against a fast, full length delivery.
It was a predictable end to another long day for a team given an unequal task by the several regular players who chose not to turn out. Not that it concerned Chanderpaul or Jacobs.
Since he was a teenager, amassing 246 for the West Indies in an under-19 Test in England in 1993, Chanderpaul's appetite for big scores has been evident.
His 303 for Guyana against Jamaica at Sabina Park in 1996 makes him and Brian Lara the only present West Indians with triple-centuries to their names. So it was a surprise that, of the 29 times he has raised three-figures, this was only the second time he had passed 200.
As with the first day, his strokes - especially square on both sides of the wicket - were precisely placed and timed. Not once did he intentionally play the ball in the air, satisfied to find his 31 boundaries along the grass.
Not everything came from the middle of the bat. At 142, he edged Deacon just wide off second slip. At 215, his top-edged sweep from off-spinner Kosie Ventner fell into empty space between three fielders. He occasionally, very occasionally, flirted outside off-stump. But the only relief he allowed his toiling opponents was when he was given permission for what tennis euphemistically now describes as a "comfort break" in mid-afternoon and he spent nearly ten minutes in the team room's toilet.
His innings occupied just over seven and three-quarter hours all told and required 369 balls.
Jacobs has a special incentive on this tour. It is to dismiss the talk that, because he is 36, it is time for him to step aside.
For the first time in three years he is travelling with a young, talented reserve keeper and batsman, Carlton Baugh, in attendance.
A performance such as his match-saving, unbeaten 60 in the first Test in Zimbabwe and now this innings prove his point that his value remains undiminished five years after his Test debut on the previous tour here.
He spent six and a quarter hours without offering a chance, punching the ball to the boundary 15 times with his strong bottomhand.
It was understandable when Baugh took the gloves when Free State batted. With the first Test next Friday, Jacobs would appreciate the next couple of days leisurely running around in the outfield.