St John’s, February 18:

England were in full control of the third Test after career-best bowling from Graeme Swann carried them to a 281-run first innings lead over West Indies on Tuesday.

At stumps on the third day, England were 31-1. This followed Swann taking 5-57 from 24 overs, as West Indies were dismissed for 285, replying to England’s first innings 566 for nine declared.

Ramnaresh Sarwan top scoreed with 94 for West Indies, and there were supporting knocks of Devon Smith (38), Ryan Hinds (27), and Daren Powell (22).

England decided not to enforce the follow-on, and suffered an early loss, when their captain Andrew Strauss was caught at second slip for 14 off the fiery Fidel Edwards.

Earlier, England took all their chances after West Indies continued from their overnight total of 55-1. It was Swann’s off-spin bowling that provided England with two wickets, as West Indies reached 132-3 at the interval.

Swann bowled Smith and got his second scalp when Powell was caught at slip. After lunch, England claimed two wickets to tighten their grip at tea. Andrew Flintoff removed Hinds and Stuart Broad got Shivnaraine Chanderpaul (one) in the space of nine balls, as West Indies reached 221-5 at the break.

Flintoff made the breakthrough, after Hinds had added 70 for the fourth wicket with Sarwan. Next over, England got a bonus wicket, when Broad had Chanderpaul also caught behind driving loosely at a delivery outside the off-stump.

After tea, England met resistance from Sarwan and Brendan Nash. They added 50 for the sixth wicket before Swann returned to snare two wickets from consecutive balls dismissing Sarwan and Denesh Ramdin to leave West Indies 251 for seven.

England continued to mount the pressure and snared the last three wickets for seven runs in the space of 13 balls. Flintoff gave Swann steady support with three for 47 from 14.2 overs.