Chennai, Mar 29: Rahul Dravid struck his 25th Test hundred and Virender Sehwag fell short of the world record but delivered 319 runs to hand India a first-innings lead on the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa on Saturday.

The hosts were 627 all out at tea in reply to South Africa's 540 all out -- a lead of 87 runs -- after fast bowler Dale Steyn ripped through the Indian tail with four quick wickets.

Steyn grabbed four of the last five wickets in an incisive spell of reverse swing after fellow paceman Makhaya Ntini's triple strikes, India losing the last five wickets for 29 runs.

Dravid hit 15 fours on his way to becoming the sixth batsman to tally 10,000 Test runs, the third Indian to do so after Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.

But Steyn's efforts restricted India's lead on a pitch showing signs of wear and tear. Left-arm spinner Paul Harris had VVS Laxman (39) caught and bowled to end the innings.

The 35-year-old Dravid, playing in his 120th Test, reached the 10,000 mark in the morning to emulate Lara, Australians Allan Border and Steve Waugh and his two compatriots.

On 99 at lunch, Dravid drove Ntini for a straight four off the third ball after the interval to reach 100 but edged the bowler to Kallis at slip.

Ntini had struck in successive overs with the second new ball in the morning to remove Sehwag and Tendulkar (0).

Sehwag surpassed his own Indian record (309) for the highest test score but fell short in his bid to surpass the world record of West Indies batsman Brian Lara (400 not out).

The 29-year-old struck 43 fours and five sixes in his near nine-hour stay. He became only the third batsman to score two Test triple hundreds, joining Lara and Australian Don Bradman.

Ntini forced Sehwag to edge a rising ball to Neil McKenzie at first slip in the sixth over of the day before Tendulkar drove a low catch to Jacques Kallis at second slip. Sourav Ganguly (24) was the other batsman dismissed in the first session.

Sehwag raised 268 runs for the second wicket with Dravid after adding 213 runs with fellow opener Wasim Jaffer (73).

Steyn forced Mahendra Dhoni (16) to fend a catch behind the stumps before bowling skipper Anil Kumble (3), Harbhajan Singh (0) and RP Singh (0) as the Indian tail collapsed.