The 28-year-old Hinds, vice president of the West Indies Players' Association that has been embroiled in the bitter sponsorship row over players' personal endorsements, was undefeated on 188 at stumps while new West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 102 when bad light meant play ended 8.1 overs early.

Hinds and Chanderpaul batted resolutely to add 241 for a record third-wicket stand for West Indies against the South Africans, who looked lacklustre for most of the day.

In the absence of Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle because of the sponsorship dispute, Hinds and Chanderpaul are the two most experienced batsmen in the West Indies side and batted like it.

They helped their team put the sponsorship imbroglio behind them with some purposeful batting either side of tea, after fast bowler Andre Nel snared three wickets to put West Indies under some intense pressure early on.

Hinds lofted a delivery from Graeme Smith just over the head of mid-on fielder Andrew Hall for a boundary to arrive at his fifth Test hundred. He has hit 30 fours and two sixes from 248 balls in six hours of batting.

Chanderpaul arrived at his 12th Test hundred after 3-3/4 hours of batting when he steered his 172nd delivery, from Charl Langeveldt, to third man for his 15th boundary to prompt umpires David Shepherd and Aleem Dar to offer light which the two batsmen had turned down only minutes earlier.

It was a memorable way for Chanderpaul to celebrate his elevation to the post of captain in light of Lara's withdrawal to show solidarity with the other six players, who like him, were contracted to former team sponsor Cable et Wireless much to the chagrin of telecoms rival and current sponsor, Digicel.

For Chanderpaul, it was a fantastic first day in charge.

He won the toss and, on a hard, easy-paced Bourda Oval pitch, he chose to bat.

When West Indies folded to 24 for two inside the first half hour, after Nel removed Devon Smith for 11 and Daren Ganga for zero to low, sharp catches to keeper Mark Boucher, he might have doubted his decision.

Hinds and Test newcomer Donovon Pagon reassured him that his decision was indeed correct when they showed the first signs of West Indies resistance in a stand of 82 for the third wicket.

The two had carried West Indies to 96 for two at lunch, but the home team suffered a set back when the silky Pagon was caught at short cover for 35 off Nel about 20 minutes after the interval.

From there, it was all Hinds and Chanderpaul. They were temporarily halted in their advance by a 35-minute stoppage for rain midway through the afternoon, but continued to plunder the wayward South Africa bowling, clearly missing Shaun Pollock.

Fortune had favoured Hinds during the morning period, when Herschelle Gibbs put him down on 13 at third slip off Langeveldt, but he kept his composure the rest of the way and even had to battle cramps in the latter stages to ensure West Indies did not miss their top players too much.

Ironically, the partnership between Hinds and Chanderpaul eclipsed a stand between Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle -- who announced they had withdrawn from the controversial personal agreements with CetW -- who had shared 174 in the previous series between the two sides at Centurion last year.