BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AP) — Captain Graeme Smith struck a fine 132 yesterday to anchor a potent South Africa batting display on day one of the second Test against the West Indies at Warner Park.

The visitors, who won the toss on a good batting pitch, were strongly placed on 296-3 when bad light forced an end a few minutes before the scheduled close.

Smiths 21st Test century included nine fours and three sixes and spanned 238 balls across five and a quarter hours. The 29-year-old also became the third South African to reach 7,000 Test runs when he reached 88.

The left-hander got strong support throughout the top order from Alviro Petersen (52), Hashim Amla (44) and Jacques Kallis (45 not out).

Off-spinner Shane Shillingford led the West Indies attack with 2-91, but the hosts were let down by their fielding and floored three catches.

Smith and Petersen gave South Africa a strong base with an opening stand of 99 in the morning session.

Petersen passed his half-century first, from 65 balls, but departed soon afterward. The right-hander hit three fours and two sixes before top-edging a sweep off Shane Shillingford’s off-spin, Kemar Roach holding a brilliant catch at deep square leg.

South Africa took lunch at 104-1 and continued to dominate after the interval as Smith and Amla added 112 for the second wicket.

Both batsmen survived chances. Captain Chris Gayle let an Amla edge slip through his hands at first slip off the bowling of Roach when the right-hander was on 14.

Smith then had a let-off having scored 79, when his sweep off Shillingford was grassed by Shivnarine Chanderpaul at square leg.

Smith arrived at his seventh century against West Indies just before tea.

Two straight sixes off Narsingh Deonarines part-time spin took him into the nineties and a bottom-edged sweep for three took him to three figures off 173 balls.

The West Indies finally broke through just before the interval as Amla edged Shillingford low to first slip with the score on 211. Amla struck five fours in an innings lasting 99 deliveries.

South Africa were also on top in the final session even though Smith survived another chance soon after the resumption when on 112. Shillingford was again the unlucky bowler as wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin put down a thin edge from Smith.

Kallis had helped extend the third-wicket partnership to 72 when Smith dragged a tired pull back on to his stumps to give Roach a wicket.

Kallis, who passed Australian legend Steve Waugh to become sixth on the all-time run-scorers’ list during his innings, hit three fours and a six as he closed in on another half century.

His partner AB de Villiers was unbeaten on seven when light rain and bad light forced play to end 15 minutes early.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings

*G Smith b Roach 132

A Petersen c Roach b Shillingford 52

H Amla c Bravo b Shillingford 44

J Kallis not out 45

AB de Villiers not out 7

Extras (lb2, w2, nb12) 16

TOTAL (3 wkts, 86 overs) 296

To bat: A Prince, +M Boucher, P Harris, D Steyn, M Morkel, L Tsotsobe.

Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Petersen), 2-211 (Amla), 3-283 (Smith).

Bowling: Roach 14-2-45-1, Rampaul 6-0-32-0, Benn 18-3-64-0, Bravo 14-2-42-0, Shillingford 31-1-91-2, Deonarine 3-0-20-0.

WEST INDIES — C Gayle (captain), T Dowlin, B Nash, S Chanderpaul, N Deonarine, D Bravo, +D Ramdin, S Shillingford, S Benn, K Roach, R Rampaul.

Toss: South Africa.

Umpires: Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel

TV Umpire: Simon Davis.

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe.

West Indies bowler Shane Shillingford reacts after South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith scored a run off his delivery on day one of the second cricket Test in Basseterre, St Kitts, yesterday. (Photo: AP)