Jacques Kallis stabilised a sinking innings and Mark Boucher followed up with a thrilling century yesterday as South Africa fought back strongly on the first day of the fifth Test against the West Indies at Centurion Park, near Pretoria.

Kallis made 83 and Boucher 100 as South Africa reached a respectable 311 for nine after being sent in on a lively pitch. At one stage they had been 123 for six, with veteran fast bowler Courtney Walsh doing most of the damage for the West Indies.

Walsh finished with five for 78, his 16th five-wicket haul in Tests, as he moved within four wickets of becoming the third man in Test history to take 400 wickets.

Kallis, the leading batsman of the series, followed up his innings of 110 and 88 not out in the fourth Test at Newlands with another disciplined, patient performance.

Brian Lara's decision to send South Africa in was justified as his fast bowlers gained spiteful lift off a pitch which had some moisture after heavy rain during the weeks leading up to the Test. The tourists seemed determined to hit back after losing the first four Tests of the series.

Kallis batted calmly through the crisis and finally found a solid partner in Boucher, who made three 50s in his first four Tests but had not scored more than 35 in his next 16 innings.

Boucher played solidly off the back foot and hit some sparkling cuts and pulls as he and Kallis added 92 in just under two hours, before Kallis played an awkward pull shot against offspinner Carl Hooper and was caught at backward square leg.

Boucher went on to his maiden Test century with 16 fours off 182 balls, but was out next ball when he fended a lifting delivery from Walsh to Lara at first slip.

Walsh returned to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury which kept him out of the fourth Test. He will return home at the end of the match and will miss a one-day series against South Africa in order to get fit for a Test series against Australia in the West Indies later in the season.