Lara Fastest Ever to 9,000

Brian Lara became the fastest man in Test cricket history to reach 9000 runs before going on to record a memorable century after tea on the third day of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands.

West Indies skipper Lara required 177 innings - two less than India's Sachin Tendulkar - to reach the magical milestone, at an astonishing average of over 52. Lara's ton - his 24th in 101 Tests - was achieved off 224 balls. He struck 14 fours and a six.

Lara and spinner Dave Mohammed, playing in his first Test, put on an entertaining 48-run partnership that saw the debutant play some flamboyant shots in an innings of 36. He was eventually caught by Jacques Kallis at slip off Shaun Pollock with the score on 409.

Lara was made to sweat for his century, especially by Kallis, who bowled two maidens to the little maestro while Lara was on 99.

Fittingly, he went to his century with a six off the first ball of Kallis' next over.

Lara batted for almost five-and-a-half hours in making 115, his 24th Test century, to help the Windies to 427 - a deficit of 105.

At the close of play, South African openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs had pushed the overall lead to 143, having survived the final 10 overs to make 38.

Smith, however, is rather fortunate to be able resume his knock on Monday after offering Adam Sanford a simple catch.

Having made four, Smith hooked Fidel Edwards to fine leg where Sanford made a hash of the chance.

Earlier, Lara and fast bowler Vasbert Drakes put on 55 runs either side of tea at an average of nearly four an over, before Drakes was caught behind by Mark Boucher to become Andre Nel's fourth victim of the innings, and leave the Windies at 361 for 7.

This was after South Africa struck twice after lunch to leave the visitors on 327 for 6 at tea. Makhaya Ntini had Ridley Jacobs caught at slip by Shaun Pollock after a beautiful delivery that squared up the West Indian wicketkeeper-batsman.

Dwayne Smith, in his debut Test, was dismissed for just 20 when he edged to Jacques Kallis to give Andre Nel his third victim of the innings.

Lara and Jacobs' sixth wicket partnership realised 50 runs in as many minutes, from just 73 deliveries.

The session between lunch and tea produced 90 runs for the Windies in 28 overs. The West Indies' chances of pulling off a shock win and keep the series alive dipped significantly in the morning session after visitors had slumped from their overnight 178 for one to 237 for four.

Shaun Pollock trapped Saturday's hero, Chris Gayle, for 116 before Andre Nel dismissed Ramnaresh Sarwan for 44 to grab his second wicket of the innings.

Wavell Hinds managed to hang around long enough to put on 37 for the fourth wicket with his skipper Brian Lara before edging Jacques Kallis to Mark Boucher.

The 13 he made on Sunday signalled the fifth straight failure for the sometime opener in the series.