Skipper Brian Lara and Ridley Jacobs resurrected West Indies' first innings with half-centuries before rain halted play on the first day of the second Test against South Africa.
But fast bowler Makhaya Ntini kept the home side on top as West Indies, who were put into bat on a lively pitch, reached 232 for eight with Vasbert Drakes on 40 and Adam Sanford on 13.
Lara (72) and Jacobs (58) added 98 for the sixth wicket after West Indies had slumped to 57 for five at lunch.
Ntini had figures of four for 56 when rain ended play 25 overs early.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith asked the visitors to bat on a seaming pitch and under overcast skies that aided swing bowling after rain delayed the start of play for 30 minutes.
Smith's decision was vindicated by the fact that all five dismissals were effected in the arc behind the wicket.
Wavell Hinds started the slide without a run on the board when he attempted to leave the last ball of the first over from Shaun Pollock, and edged it to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.
In his next over, Pollock found the outside edge of Ramnaresh Sarwan's bat and the catch flew to Jacques Kallis at second slip. Sarwan was dismissed for four.
Ntini first struck in the sixth over when Darren Ganga, on six, prodded outside his off-stump and was caught by Pollock at first slip.
Twelve balls later, West Indies slumped to 17 for four when Ntini had Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught by Andrew Hall at third slip for a duck.
SHARP CHANCE
Lara and Carlton Baugh kept the South Africans at bay until 10 balls before lunch, when Baugh's edged drive off pace bowler Andre Nel was caught at second slip by Kallis. Baugh hit four fours in his 21.
The West Indies might have been 58 for six eight balls after lunch when Lara, on 13, edged a delivery from Ntini to Hall at third slip. Hall dropped a sharp chance to his left hand.
South Africa squandered another opportunity to break the partnership when Boucher spilt a difficult chance offered by Jacobs on 33 off Nel's bowling.
Lara and Jacobs were eventually separated 13 overs before tea after Lara failed to avoid a short delivery from Ntini and was caught by Pollock at first slip. He had faced 111 balls and hit 12 fours.
Four overs later Jacobs was trapped in front by Nel having faced 69 balls and stroked 11 boundaries. West Indies were 191 for eight when Ntini bowled Mervyn Dillon through the gate for six.
Drakes and Sanford frustrated the South Africans to nudge the visitors past 200. South Africa lead the four-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test by 189 runs.
Scoreboard:
West Indies first innings:
W.Hinds c Boucher b Pollock 0
D.Ganga c Pollock b Ntini 6
R.Sarwan c Kallis b Pollock 4
B.Lara c Pollock b Ntini 72
S.Chanderpaul c Hall b Ntini 0
C.Baugh c Kallis b Nel 21
R.Jacobs lbw b Nel 58
V.Drakes not out 40
M.Dillon b Ntini 6
A.Sanford not out 13
Extras (lb-6 nb-6) 12
Total (for eight wickets, 65 overs) 232
To bat: F.Edwards
Fall of wickets: 1-0 2-4 3-15 4-17 5-50 6-148 7-172 8-191
Bowling: Pollock 20-2-53-2 (nb-3), Ntini 20-7-56-4, Hall 8-1-38-0 (nb-2), Nel 12-4-41-2 (nb-1), Kallis 3-0-29-0, Rudolph 2-0-9-0
South Africa: G.Smith, H.Gibbs, J.Rudolph, J.Kallis, G.Kirsten, N.McKenzie, M.Boucher, S.Pollock, A.Hall, A.Nel, M.Ntini.