Anrich Nortje takes five as Proteas hold slight edge over West Indies in first Test

The visitors' total was in reply to the home team's first innings score of 342 but the Caribbean outfit fought back late on to reduce the Proteas to 49-4 at stumps and an overall lead of 179.

Nortje took the plaudits for the hosts as he finished with figures of 5-35 in 16 overs for his fourth five-wicket haul in his 19th Test match.

The Windies were looking solid on 122-1 thanks to a half-century from Raymon Reifer (62) but suffered a monumental collapse after the tea interval.

The visitors lost their last seven wickets for just 43 runs as the Proteas fast bowling quartet of Nortje, Kagiso Rabada (2-44), Marco Jansen (1-64) and debutant Gerald Coetzee (2-45) did the damage.

Having taken a lead of 130 on the first innings, the Proteas had close to 40 minutes until stumps to survive but lost four wickets.

Dean Elgar (1) was caught at third man for the second time in the game while Tony de Zorzi and captain Temba Bavuma both fell for ducks before Jason Holder trapped Keegan Petersen (7) lbw with what turned out to be the last ball of the day.

First innings centurion Aiden Markram will resume on Thursday on 35 and will be joined at the crease by Heinrich Klaasen.