Hundreds from Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood left England's bowlers frustrated as West Indies closed Day 3 on 288/4. Having batted all day (and a bit of Day 2), Brathwaite is still out there, on 109. The deficit, however, still reads 219.
Given how prone their batting unit is to collapse, West Indies need to survive the first two sessions to guarantee not losing. Sent in as nightwatch, Alzarri Joseph will resume on 4, with the likes of Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva to follow.
Brathwaite and Blackwood launched a rearguard that lasted close to 70 overs. They eliminated all risk, rode on some luck, and wore down the English bowlers with stout defence.
Blackwood was lucky to get away with a leg before off Ben Stokes when England decided not to review. Later, on 65, he was trapped leg-before by debutant Saqib Mahmood, but replays revealed that Mahmood had overstepped. He finally got dismissed on 102 by – of all people – Dan Lawrence.
Earlier in the day, the in-form Shamarh Brooks could not add much to his overnight tally. He fell to Jack Leach for 39. Stokes then ended Nkrumah Bonner's 33-ball stay.
England 507/9 decl. (Joe Root 153; Veerasammy Permaul 3-126) lead West Indies 288/4 (Kraigg Brathwaite 109*, Jermaine Blackwood 102; Daniel Lawrence 1-8) by 219 runs.