BRIDGETOWN: West Indies, set 192 for a series-levelling victory in the third Test against England, reached tea on the third day struggling on 70 for three at Kensington Oval on Sunday.
Marlon Samuels and Darren Bravo were working their team into a strong position following the dismissals of both openers with the score on 35 an hour into the afternoon session after the tourists had been dismissed for 123 in their second innings.
Their positive strokeplay looked to have England on the back foot before seamer Stuart Broad and part-time off-spinner Joe Root put the brakes on the scoring.
After three consecutive maiden overs, Broad breached the defence of right-hander Samnuels, bowling him for 20 to set off celebrations among the England players and their thousands of fans in the stands.
By the time the tea interval arrived, the West Indies had been kept scoreless for 37 deliveries with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Bravo set to resume the battle in what could very well be the final session of the match.
Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope saw off the early assault from James Anderson and Broad at the start of the afternoon session, although not without a few anxious moments.
However the introduction of Chris Jordan into the attack brought the breakthrough that England craved as the debutant fell leg-before for nine.
In the very next over, Jordan's brilliance at slip throughout the series was again in evidence as he held on to a sharp chance left-handed to remove Brathwaite off Moeen Ali's off-spin for 25.
England had started the day brightly, putting on 51 in the first hour for the loss of just one wicket from a perilous overnight position of 39 for five.
Gary Ballance was that early casualty becoming the first of two wickets for Veerasammy Permaul, the left-arm spinner removing the left-hander to a catch at slip.
He then broke a 33-run seventh-wicket partnership between Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler via a miscued drive from Stokes (32) that was well held by Chanderpaul at short extra-cover.
Buttler kept on playing positively and was left unbeaten on a top score of 35 with the lower-order failing to survive on a pitch that continues to play at varying heights.
Tall fast-medium bowler Jason Holder, who dismissed Jordan and Broad off successive deliveries, finished with the best figures of three for 15.
Permaul and pacer Jerome Taylor also picked up three wickets apiece.
England lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test in Grenada by nine wickets while the opening game in Antigua was drawn.
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