But the victory came only after South Africa struggled to contain a spirited batting display by the West Indian tail-enders. With the visitors resuming at 93 for six on the final day and chasing 421 to win, it seemed it would be only a matter of overs before South Africa completed another crushing victory.

But West Indies amassed a creditable 271 after an obdurate and often belligerent rearguard action masterminded by wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs, who remained unbeaten on 69.

All the lower order scored runs and the flow of punishing drives and bludgeoning hooks put the West Indies' upper order to shame and kept the South Africans at bay for more than 51 overs.

Mervyn Dillon, with 36, hit the second highest score by a West Indies number 11 in a 34-run partnership with Jacobs before he was last man out.

The last fourwickets added 184 runs with Nixon McLean (39) and Dillon recording their Test best scores.

The fifth Test is at Centurion Park from January 15. The West Indies' worst result in a series of more than three Tests was a 5-1 defeat in Australia in 1975-76.

The West Indies lost the first three Tests by margins of four wickets, 178 runs and nine wickets.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa (first innings): 406-8 decl.

West Indies (first innings): 212

South Africa (second innings): 226-7 decl.

West Indies (second innings): (overnight 93-6) Philo Wallace c Gibbs b Pollock 0, Junior Murray lbw Kallis 7, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul c Cullinan b Kallis 5, Brian Lara c&b Adams 33, Carl Hooper b Kallis 20, Darren Ganga lbw Pollock 16, Ridley Jacobs not out 69, Otis Gibson run out 13, Neil McLean c Adams b Kallis 39, Curtly Ambrose c Kirsten b Adams 19, Mervyn Dillon c Cronje b Kallis 36; Extras (lb2, nb12): 14. Total: 271

Fall Of Wickets: 1-2, 2-7, 3-15, 4-47, 5-87, 6-87, 7-108, 8-173,9-207Bowling: Pollock 25-3-49-2 (12nb), Kallis 27.4-4-90-5, Cronje 1-1-0-0, Terbrugge 11-4-40-0, Adams 23-5-80-2, Cullinan 4-1-10-0.