Aggers may be off to watch Curtly Ambrose's band in concert elsewhere in Antigua, but it's time for those of you following us in the UK to put on your pyjamas and get a good night's sleep ready for day five.
The maths are simple: a minimum of 90 overs to be bowled. England need eight wickets, West Indies need 340 runs. If neither achieve their goals, it's a draw. Play resumes at 15:00 BST - we'll be here at 14:30 with TMS on air from 14:45.
Sleep tight, and make sure you join us then.
Time to stop play
And special thanks to all of you who have been texting, tweeting and emailing in your bizarre reasons for play being stopped (inspired by Graeme Swann on TMS explaining how barbecue smoke once stopped play in an ODI in South Africa).
We've had (deep breath) stuffed tigers, carrots, tornados, helicopters, planes, automobiles, fires, murders, calamari, Holy Communion, drunken mothers, shootings, Anneka Rice, cows, deer, the Red Arrows, drunken umpires, pedantic umpires, electric fences, naughty boys, dogs, insects, weddings, ducks, Sir Ian Botham, Guinness, Pop Idols, dads, AWOL soldiers, Bobby Charlton, burglars, RAF funerals, royalists, F-16s, wargames, serpents, donkeys, tennis, young offenders and Aberdeen FC stopping play. Thanks for sending us those - and the many others we didn't have time and space to use.
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Stephen, Cumbria: Andrew Samson has coined a new tongue-twister: "It's just Smith's sixth fifty". Try running that past the Barmy Army any time after tea.
Review of the day
Day four began with England on 116-2, leading by 220. England fans were able to enjoy Gary Ballance's fourth Test century, Joe Root's second fifty of the match and a battling unbeaten 59 from Jos Buttler before the declaration came before tea on 333-7, setting West Indies a world record run chase of 438.
They lost Kraigg Brathwaite in the second over, but Devon Smith and Darren Bravo added 83 and were looking in great touch until part-time spinner Root made the breakthrough - with the aid of a stupendous catch from Chris Jordan.
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Toufique Khan: Wish Test cricket were on terrestrial TV. Then I could watch the Jordan catch everyone is raving about.
Max WHUFC Kellar: Chris Jordan could catch a cold in the desert!
"I'm not so sure England will win the game tomorrow. Jimmy Anderson's not really in the game, he's not carrying any real threat, even though he's trying like hell. He doesn't look like getting anybody out, which is a concern for me."
"I think the bowlers have to do it collectively tomorrow. You need to swap the bowlers around, try some funny field placings, not too many boundary fielders unless you're going to bowl for the hook. They'll need to make the West Indian batsmen play shots, because if they keep blocking, it's very difficult to prise them out."
"It was very good, I've seen a lot of good catches and this was excellent. I don't think it was the best ever, but quality catches win matches. Smith and Bravo played very sensibly, they gave West Indies a chance before the catch. I think England would have wanted three down by the close, but only Broad got that pace and bounce. England have a good-ish chance of winning, but I've seen people bat all day on pitches like this. Me included."
Aberdeen FC stop play
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Colin Reid: The cricket pitches at the Links in Aberdeen were between Aberdeen FC's Pittodrie stadium and the Beach Esplanade where the away football fans' coaches used to be parked. At the end/start of the season when games coincided with a visit from well-supported teams like Rangers, the only thing to do was to stop, pull up the stumps and sit unobtrusively in a corner as a tide of people poured all over the pitch and wicket. Not many of them seemed to be cricket fans!
"Stokes played very sprightly when he came in, and Buttler's innings was very pleasing: he scores very easily, with a wonderful range of shots, timing and power. Broad produced a really lethal bouncer to get the wicket of Brathwaite, with a nice field placing that Cook should take credit for. Broad bowled with more fluency today, which is good for England."
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Will Relf: I've always said England under-use Root's bowling!
"This was the best cricket day of the whole four. England started off in a slightly better position than West Indies, Root and Ballance played positively, Root looked busy all the time, comfortable, confident and competent. Ballance had an excellent performance, and it's out of the picture for Trott to bat at three in the Test matches."
Review of the day
Time for the Aggers and Boycott show - it'll be available later on the TMS podcast page, where you can already find the lunchtime chat with Chris Woakes, Andrew Flintoff and Sir Curtly Ambrose.
"I don't know how you judge the best catch of all time, but I do know that catch from Chris Jordan was right up there."
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ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Post update
Aggers has called Jordan's catch as probably the best he's ever seen. Stand by, TMS listeners - he and Geoffrey Boycott will shortly be reviewing the day.
Post update
More from Gary Ballance, who scored his fourth century in nine Tests: "We've got a new ball just after lunch tomorrow so hopefully we can sneak a few out then and kick on after that."
"Gary Ballance is a class player. I'm more comfortable watching him in Test whites. Since the minute that he arrived in Test match cricket, he's come out of the blocks like a trooper. He's coped with pressure really well, and I'd expect him now to have an absolute belter of a series."
Post update
England batsman Gary Ballance, who made 122: "It would have been nice to get one or two more, but overall we couldn't be happier.
"It's been a tough winter, so it's nice to score a hundred in the first Test match back in quite a tough situation. It probably looked quite scratchy but I don't mind about that. To score runs when the team needs it is great."
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Tim Carlisle: Re Adam in Leicester (20:56). 75% deserve criticism? Ballance, Buttler, Tredwell, Stokes, Jordan all new. Root has performed.
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Champagne moment
Innings of the day? Gary Ballance's century. Champagne moment? Unquestionably Chris Jordan's catch. Try to see it at full speed, rather than slow motion, if you can.
"I'm really impressed with the way the West Indies have batted. It's been a very good innings from Devon Smith. England tried everything, but the pitch is flat and the ball isn't swinging. I think spin will have a big part to play, and the seamers will have to keep plugging away, bowling cutters and bouncers. It will be an interesting last day, and the West Indies have a great chance."
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Close of play
WI 98-2
Stuart Broad to finish the day. Two slips, fourth slip (too close to be called gully), short leg and a leg gully for Samuels, who looks happy to get off strike with a single. Smith has nothing to do with a couple of bouncers, pats the last ball of the day back with a textbook forward defensive and that, as they say, is that.
On the final day, England will need eight wickets to win (West Indies needing 340 runs) from a minimum of 90 overs.
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Tom: Brilliant spell of right-arm terror from Joe Root!
David: Root and Rashid, that's the future of English spin. Not Tredwell and Ali.
WI 97-2 (target 438)
It looks like those on Anderson-watch may have to wait another day for The Record as Joe Root is going to finish up from the Roberts End. Cook crowds Smith with four close fielders, but the Grenada left-hander survives and Root takes his cap with figures of 4-3-4-1. Very acceptable. Last over coming up.
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Elliott Bewley: I reckon Jordan has been taking lessons from Mr Miyagi, making catches like that. Flies with chopsticks, no problem.
Matthew Rowell: I think Joe Root should have been at the election debate tonight. What can't he do?
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
WI 97-2 (two overs left tonight)
Samuels pushes Broad for a single to get off the mark. A short leg comes in for Smith (Gary Ballance having donned the helmet) with square leg, fine leg and third man back, as well as Anderson three-quarters of the way back at mid-wicket for the miscue. Smith takes on the short ball... but keeps it down and runs a single to fine leg.
"If West Indies get through to the close only two down, they've got a great chance of getting out of this game. The way that England will take wickets is to leave gaps and encourage the drive."
"Devon Smith's 58 is his highest score in 40 Test innings, since he made 88 against Australia in Brisbane in 2005."
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WI 95-2 (Smith 58*, Samuels 0*)
We nearly have a repeat of Jordan's astonishing catch as Smith edges Root between the keeper and slip for four, sadly for Jordan lightning does not strike twice and he can't quite get his hand across. Goldenarm Root is quickly through his over, and we're into overtime but won't need much more - only three more overs to be bowled.
"I think this is still a great opportunity for the West Indies batsmen. There isn't any real devil in this wicket, it's all about your concentration level."
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WI 91-2 (target 438)
Alastair Cook takes his cap off, surely he's not going to bowl? Thankfully not - England turn back to Stuart Broad as with a foot in the door, they aim to kick it open. There's a very odd field for Smith (some would say funky) - no conventional slips, but a gully, and three catching men in a ring between silly mid-off and short/silly cover point, as well as a short mid-wicket. A more orthodox field is posted for the right-handed Samuels, who has to rear away from a hostile bouncer. Umpire Bowden, however, is mildly concerned about where Broad is following though on the pitch.
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Richard Jude: That is a stonking catch by Chris Jordan! One where you let out an involuntary yelp of delight.
Amir Chughtai: Arise Sir Chris Jordan.
Ian Bradley: Another blinding catch by Jordan but little mention of how much Root got that delivery to turn, went miles.
WI 90-2 (Root 2-2-0-1)
Marlon Samuels is the new batsman as that 83-run stand comes to an end. Two maidens and one wicket from young Root.
"What an absolutely stunning catch. That was better than his first innings catch, that's an absolute screamer. He flung himself to his right, that's 10 out of 10, you won't see better than that. The slow-motion replay doesn't do justice to it, you need to see that at full speed."
WICKET
Bravo c Jordan b Root 32 (WI 90-2)
What a catch! WHAT A CATCH! Bravo goes! A sensational one-handed slip catch from Chris Jordan as Bravo drives, Jordan leaps to his right from a wideish position at first slip and plucks a one-handed beauty out of the air. Absolutely sensational.
Chris Jordan, take a big bow. (And Joe Root, the golden-haired, golden-armed partnership-breaker as I called him a few minutes ago, take a modest bow too).
"He's battled away after losing his opening partner in the second over. He and Bravo have denied England for 31 overs. Of Smith can convert it into a hundred tomorrow, he'll have England sweating."
50 for Smith
WI 90-1
Smith, who's been stuck in the 40s longer than a BBC2 repeat run of Dad's Army, finally reaches his sixth Test fifty from 111 balls by forcing Tredwell for four through backward point. With only one Test hundred to his name in a 12-year international career, can he make sure he's still there tomorrow morning?
"There are times when you can lure batters into a false sense of security, give them something that they feel like hitting. You don't always have to plan folks out."
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WI 86-1 (target 438)
Joe Root - England's golden-haired, golden-armed partnership-breaker? He may just be happy to get the bat-pad helmet off, but it's time for him to bowl some off-spin. No breakthrough yet as Bravo defends stoutly, but with Root and Tredwell on, it'll do wonders for the over-rate. Seven more due tonight.
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John Kershaw: Old fashioned gritty Test cricket this. Not an advert for the game but if you love cricket you'll appreciate the cat and mouse.
WI 86-1 (Tredwell 10-6-10-0)
Tredwell is quickly through his 10th over, Smith doesn't even offer a shot to a couple of deliveries outside off stump. Maiden.
"This is a remarkable recovery. I'm hoping that's not the commentator's curse. When England made that declaration and got that early wicket, they would have been on a high, but these two have consolidated well and look up for the fight."
WI 86-1 (Smith 49*, Bravo 32*)
Smith, on 48, faces Stokes, who is getting advice from senior bowlers Anderson and Broad at mid-off and mid-on between deliveries. We think Jimmy might get one more spell before the close, for those of you still hanging on tenterhooks for The Record. Smith is in no hurry for his fifty, languidly tapping a single off his legs - his 49 has taken 100 balls.
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Jimmy Dalton: West Indies could win from here... Especially as they still have the Crab to come...
WI 85-1 (target 438)
Bravo puts a dent in Tredwell's figures by smacking a four over the covers. If there are any wildly optimistic Windies fans out there, your side only needs 353 more.
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Young offenders stop play
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Ian in PA, USA: Once we were playing the local boys reform school game in Staffs. They batted, we were chasing the total down easily, when two boys 'did a runner'. The two umpires were staff, so they disappeared to give chase. Game over!
WI 81-1 (11 overs left tonight)
The floodlights are on, and with Tredwell bowling, shock horror - we shouldn't need all of the extra 30 minutes to bowl the 90 overs today. Unfortunately for England, the chances of them claiming another *extra* half-hour (on the grounds they had a realistic chance of finishing the game tonight) are receding very quickly. West Indies steer Stokes for a couple of singles, and Smith is two short of a deserved fifty.
"That was better from Tredwell - I like that, bringing the man in front of the bat at short cover. Suddenly Bravo is aware of not giving a bat-pad catch. But Tredwell doesn't need the deep cover - it's a waste of a fielder."
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WI 79-1 (Tredwell 8-5-6-0)
Swanny's calls for more attack have been heeded as Joe Root moves from mid-wicket to silly point, but he's not happy there's a cover sweeper out. Another probing maiden over from Tredwell to Bravo - five of his eight overs have been maidens, he's certainly tying up an end. But England need wickets.
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Peter: Imagine the comments previous years' Tests would have drawn on this page. 1981 would have seen a world shortage of humble pie.
WI 79-1 (target 438)
Stuck on 77 for a little while, West Indies finally move on as Smith, on 46, keeps finding the fielders and eventually can only take a single to fine leg. Stokes doesn't seem to be bowling with quite the fire he found in the first innings. Bravo moves to 27 with a single.
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Stuart Field: Time for Root or Trott to bowl a couple of overs, change it up a bit maybe?
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WI 77-1 (Tredwell 7-4-6-0)
Agony for England! Bravo goes to cut Tredwell and is a fraction away from chopping onto his stumps. Just when this match was starting to drift, the way it drifted around this time yesterday when England were batting, they have a glimmer. Graeme Swann on TMS is urging England to attack more.
Fires stop play
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Trevor in Warminster: I was involved in 'retained' vs 'wholetime' 20-over beer match when serving in Wiltshire Fire Brigade when the match was stopped because most of the retained fielding side's alerters went off and they disappeared to respond to a fire call in Stratton St Margaret, near Swindon. We repaired to the bar and called the match an honourable draw.
John Frankland: Once playing in Horwich when all of a sudden smoke started coming out of one of our batter's pads. As the last play had been given out he thought he'd thrown his cigarette away alas it had gone down his pad! 'Charlie you're on fire' was the cry.
Scorecard update
West Indies 77-1 (25 overs) - target 438
Batsmen: Smith 46*, Bravo 26*
Fall of wickets: 7-1 (Brathwaite 5)
Bowling figures: Anderson 7-0-26-0, Broad 6-1-23-1, Tredwell 6-3-6-0, Jordan 4-1-16-0, Stokes 2-0-6-0
Stokes has two men out on the hook, will he try some short balls at Smith or double-bluff him? Smith whips a two along the ground to deep mid-wicket to move to 46 as Stokes raises his hands to his face in frustration.
Tennis stops play
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Tom Metcalf: During the 2013 Wimbledon final our village match in south Oxfordshire ground to a halt as players and spectators alike gathered round a radio on the boundary to hear Andy Murray triumph over Novak Djokovic.
"England have got their work cut out to weedle out these nine wickets."
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WI 75-1 (target 438)
With the players refreshed, Tredwell has had a change of ends - and the off side is packed for the two left-handers, but although this is a fourth innings pitch, there aren't many footmarks opening up for him to bowl at, coming round the wicket to Bravo. Maiden.
Donkey stops play
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Ian in Leeds: As a youngster, I was batting for Dunchurch Cricket Club under-15s against Oakfield at their ground at the Sheaf and Sickle pub in Long Lawford. They had a donkey which pulled the roller. It slipped its teather and made its way onto the nearby road. The match was stopped while all the players chased the donkey up the road to catch it. You can imagine the look on the faces of those in passing cars as a donkey pursued by 15 young lads dressed in cricket whites chased a donkey up the road.
What's gone wrong with West Indies cricket?
Once the greatest Test side in the world, West Indies' appetite for the longest form of the game has dipped alarmingly in recent years.
In October 2014, the West Indies Cricket Board abandoned a tour of India after a dispute with players over pay, leaving the Board of Control for Cricket in India demanding $42m (£26.2m) in compensation.
BBC Sport's Joe Wilson talks to legends of West Indies cricket Sir Viv Richards and Sir Curtly Ambrose to uncover what is behind the decline of the game in the Caribbean.
Captain Cook shuffles his bowlers - Tredwell gets the hook after two overs and Ben Stokes gets his first spell of the innings. Smith has a look at a couple, then unleashes another flashing cut shot for four.
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Gareth Johnson: About time they stopped pussyfooting around and played the rest of the @Yorkshireccc team out there...
WI 71-1 (target 438)
Broad charges in from the Ambrose End, there's a catcher at short mid-off but Smith and Bravo manage to pick off three singles.
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Darren in Manchester: Is Darren Bravo the only current Test number three who uses an unmarked bat?
WI 68-1
Tredwell, an earnest toiler if ever there was one, will wheel away from one end here, changing his flight and angle of attack and whistling through a two-minute maiden over to Bravo.
"The way the first wicket fell - fended off the short leg - you wondered how up for this West Indies were. But they are making a fight of it."
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WI 68-1 (Smith 37*, Bravo 26*)
England coach Peter Moores is hunched over a laptop - if he looks at the data, he'll see that England could do with a couple of wickets before the close in the remaining 21 overs if they're to sleep a little more soundly tonight. The ball is nearly 20 overs old, but it's not offering England much movement - Smith unleashes a flamboyant cut shot down to third man for four.
Planes and automobiles stop play
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John Macdonald: In the 1960s and 70s, RAF Gan was a staging post on a very small Island in the Maldives. The sports field was on the edge of the runway. So when an aircraft approached, air traffic sent a Land Rover to stop play. The rugby players had to dismantle the posts but the cricketers only had to draw stumps!
Gordon Williams: I was playing for my school cricket team back in the seventies in the middle of Wolverhampton race coarse. A brand new Jaguar car came across the coarse onto the pitch and parked behind the wicketkeeper. Out pops my uncle saying, "What time you finishing, Gord? We can go for a spin.".
WI 63-1 (target 438)
Jordan is off after four unthreatening overs and James Tredwell returns, skipping in to bowl his off-spin round the wicket to the two left-handers. At the cost of one single.
"This is quite a dangerous period for Devon Smith. He's got to 30s or 40s often in is Test career, and at this point he often loses concentration and starts playing lots of big shots. He goes from third gear to sixth, which could create that opportunity that England are desperate for."
Text 81111
Adam in Leicester: The fact there are people texting in wondering how players cope with all this negativity is beyond comprehension. Have these people been living under a rock for 18 months? Or are they just master zen Buddhists? 75% of this current side deserve every single line of criticism they have received since the start of the last Ashes.
WI 62-1 (Smith 33*, Bravo 24*)
The Seaweed Man is still lurking ominously - West Indies might ask him to strap the pads on as nightwatchman - as Smith brings up the fifty partnership by pulling Broad through mid-wicket for four. For a man who averages under 25 in 36 previous Tests stretching back 12 years, he's been pretty sound in this innings. Meanwhile, umpire Bowden seems wise to England's plan of trying to get the ball to reverse, having a word with Broad for throwing it at the stumps via the pitch.
"If Stuart Broad gets a wicket in his first three overs, his overall bowling average is 19. If he doesn't get a wicket in his first three overs, his average is 35.5."
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Andrew Morris: Bold prediction: tomorrow we'll see history made. 1) Jimmy taking 2+ wickets 2) WI chasing down world-record 438 for a trifecta.
WI 56-1 (target 438)
Jordan to continue at the Roberts End, not much movement for the Sussex right-arm seamer, but Bravo is momentarily discomforted as he tries to force the ball towards mid-on and it squirms off an edge towards gully. He adds a couple of twos to his score - Jordan has 0-16 from four.
"Stuart Broad will probably bowl a few cutters and then a real short, sharp bouncer. The lack of swing has been really surprising, because the new ball has swung consistently for the first 10 overs throughout this match."
WI 52-1
Those of you on Anderson-watch can stand down for a while - he takes a breather and Stuart Broad returns for only his third over, despite having taken a wicket in his first. He goes round the wicket to the two Windies left-handers, but Bravo brings up the fifty with a good-looking cover drive. Always one of the most aesthetically pleasing shots around.
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EJD Green: Now following online after pub customer asked for TV switch to Kiev-Fiorentina game.
J: I've listened to hours of this test match and haven't heard a single West Indies wicket. I'm going to switch off nine times.
The England fans on the grassy terraces of the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium are having a good time, though some of them will be dashing back to their hotel bathrooms this evening to break out the after sun lotion - they're turning decidedly pink.
A tighter over from Jordan - a maiden, in fact. If you're just joining us, to save the game, West Indies have to bat another 25 overs tonight, then a minimum of 90 tomorrow.
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Serpent stops play
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Tim Lacey in Dubai: I was watching a game in Colombo once. There had been a pitch invasion by rather a large snake and the players had become involved in helping the invader back to the safety of the undergrowth. After the slithery invader was seen off, play resumed and I watched exactly one over of cricket before the heavens opened and play was abandoned. As we stood getting soaked, someone commented that the snake must be having the last laugh!
WI 47-1 (target 438)
No Broad - Anderson to continue. But life's still a beach for Smith as he guides a four past the wider of the two gullies, and a seemingly gentle push through the covers brings him three. Anderson raises his eyes to the heavens as though he's a rookie looking for his first Test scalp, not a veteran with 382 victims to his name. Two short legs are summoned for Bravo, but Anderson foxes him with a full delivery which strikes his pad, there's an appeal - but it pitched outside leg.
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Wargames stop play
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Mark Walker: Many years ago my then team's pitch doubled up as a helicopter landing area. One afternoon imagine our consternation when we all trotted out in our whites ready to play, only to find a huge chinook helicopter there instead, doors open and with heavily-armed fierce-looking servicemen arrayed about. A particularly shady military unit had arranged an exercise but, in maintaining their secrecy and security as they have to do, they had obviously neglected to tell us. It's hard to bat, bowl and field with a helo before wicket!
"I can see what England are trying to do to Devon Smith: they are trying to bowl dead straight, because he struggles against the straight ball. But the ball isn't swinging conventionally."
WI 40-1 (Smith 20*, Bravo 15*)
Jordan hasn't looked too threatening so far, Smith turns him off his toes through mid-wicket for four and the Windies fans have noticeably cranked up the volume since tea - surely they can't be thinking of an improbable victory? The increasingly assured Smith - whose statistics don't seem to match his careful technique - is taking runs at will here, adding a two and a three. This stand is worth 33. Time for Broad?
"I think England need to have West Indies three down tonight. I'd be comfortable with only needing seven tomorrow. But if West Indies can keep wickets in hand this evening, it just gives them a glimmer of hope."
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Ian Dobson: Why, after eight Tests, three tons and three fifties, was Gary Ballance even under scrutiny in the Test arena? It's absolutely mental.
Mix It N Fix It Man: Root has been the only player over last four days to get no criticism. How do players manage incessant negativity?
WI 31-1 (Anderson 6-0-19-0)
A frustrating spell for Anderson continues, and as Geoffrey suggests, England have to be ruthless here and keep probing for wickets - they have enough runs to play with. Bravo helps a two through square leg.
"I'd be saying to Jimmy Anderson, 'I need a wicket or I'm going to bowl Broad.' You can't worry about him getting the record - he'll have to take his chances when he bowls."
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WI 29-1
In fact, Jordan comes on at Tredwell's end (or rather the Sir Andy Roberts End), Bravo shows the full face and knocks a three to long-off. The atmosphere is a little subdued compared to when Jordan and Buttler were crashing it around at the end of the England innings.
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Mark Chapman: Windies four down at the close should see it done - although if the Crab is still in anything is possible!
Steve Cook: Why don't batsmen looking to save a Test duck under everything over shoulder height?
WI 26-1 (target 438)
Smith clips Anderson for a two off his legs, prompting Cook to withdraw the short leg to square leg. Chris Jordan is having a loosen up at gully, a sign he may be asked to bowl soon. Anderson looks frustrated as he beats the bat once or twice.
"Only three specialist batsmen in Test history have had longer careers than Devon Smith averaging less than 25: Bangladesh's Mohammed Ashraful and Javed Omar, and England's Mike Brearley."
"Sometimes batsmen start their Test careers badly but go on to be wonderful players. Graham Gooch got three noughts, Len Hutton got nought in his first innings."
Ed Smith adds: "Sri Lanka's Marvan Attapatu began his career with five noughts in his first six innings."
WI 24-1 (Smith 9*, Bravo 10*)
Tredwell has a slip and two helmeted men at short leg and silly point, but Smith breaks the shackles as he drills a three to the long boundary at extra cover. 31 more overs for West Indies to bat today (with, if you're a really optimistic England fan, a potential extra half-hour to be claimed).
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Tom, NJ: The woodwork must be a crowded place right now with all of the "drop Ballance" commenters crawling back in...
"The England bowling unit is a terrific fielding quartet. Anderson is superb, Stokes is one of the best fielders in the side, Jordan is a excellent fielder, and Broad is a pretty good outfielder for a bowler."
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WI 21-1 (target 438)
Smith looks happy to get off strike with a single, while Bravo steers a two through the covers. A funked-up version of "Rally Round The West Indies" is played between overs, they certainly need to rally in this game.
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HH Rawlins: What's the deal with all these cross-armed bowlers? There are five bowlers in the current England side, all right-arm, but only one of them bats right-handed. Is this a modern phenomenon or has it always been like that and I just hadn't noticed?
WI 18-1
Big appeal for lbw against Smith, is that the record-equaller for Anderson? The umpire shakes his head, England opt against a review, it looked a little high...
"Devon Smith is one of these players who looks all right, but just doesn't get enough runs. You can't win Test matches with batsmen who only average 24."
WI 17-1 (33 overs left today)
With off-spin supposedly Devon Smith's personal Kryptonite, it's James Tredwell to continue, and Smith guides a two.
"Devon Smith averaged 5.8 in Test cricket against Graeme Swann, and against all off-spinners he averages 8.3."
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An Aussie in Wales: Is anything more fickle than an English cricket supporter?
WI 15-1 (target 438)
Anderson, one wicket short of equalling Sir Ian Botham's record let's not forget, finds the edge but fortune favours Bravo as he nicks it just wide of Chris Jordan at gully for four. Reprieved, he threads a two through extra cover.
"He's got the mind for it, and a better technique about playing the quicks. Apaart from Jerome Taylor, the quicks here won't trouble you. Australia will. Ballance does sit on the back foot and then come forward, so he's better than Trott who has got out twice on the walk. Get some money on, Jonathan - KP and Cook opening against Australia!"
"If they don't solve the problem, they'll have a real problem going into the Ashes. It's a personal view, but I don't see Jonathan Trott opening against Australia at Cardiff. So because of Cook's form, they could get Lyth in now."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Post update
Thanks, James. That pre-tea Tredwell over has allowed James Anderson to have a change of ends, he will open proceedings again at the Sir Curtly Ambrose End.
Post update
Time for me to hand you back to Mark Mitchener, who will take you through to the close...
"They made the decision to keep Ballance at three and get Trott back into the team by making him open - it's backfired. So now, you either carry on with Trott, and Lyth doesn't have a go, or you have to find an opener. Trott's not an opener. I've solved the problem - the openers against New Zealand will be Adam Lyth and KP!"
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Howard Horner: I criticised Broad earlier this Test match. I would just like to apologise! He looks back near to his best.
"The great players and teams in any sport have a confidence and arrogance about them. You've got to move around as if they want to win the game. You should easily get 15 overs in per hour. Show you mean business - and that has to come from the captain and the coach."
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F-16 stops play
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EL in Sunderland: Back in the mid 90s, I was batting for Whitburn CC against Eppleton CC in a Durham Senior League fixture at Whitburn, which is on the coast between Sunderland and South Shields. I was at the non-striker's end when I noticed a small dot in the distance above the trees. It rapidly became a larger dot which even more rapidly turned into a Dutch Air Force F-16 which thundered over the ground at treetop height on its way to the annual Sunderland airshow. Players and spectators ducked and scattered everywhere and it took a fair few minutes before play could resume. The best part was the look on the opposition professional's face - a certain Jimmy Adams, who at the time was on the verge of becoming West Indies captain. Bet that never happened at Lord's...
Post update
Was the World Cup as much of a shambles as it appeared?
More from Alex Hales on TMS: "Ultimately, we're judged on performances and results. We're not hiding from the fact we're a bit embarrassed about what happened. But there are some talented young players around and this summer is a great chance to impress against two of the best sides in the world in New Zealand and Australia. We've learnt from the World Cup, hopefully we can get rid of that fear of failure."
Post update
Where is English cricket at now?
More from Alex Hales on TMS: "It's a rebuilding phase for us in limited-overs cricket, but we're number three in the world in Test cricket, and there's enough young talent around to lift us in limited-overs. The Ashes will be very closely contested, I think it will be a very close series and I know we'd like to put one over on New Zealand."
Post update
Nottinghamshire and England batsman Alex Hales on TMS: "We've got one of the most talented squads in the country, certainly one of the best Notts squads I've been involved in. I've played in the Big Bash and watched the IPL so it'd be good if something like [an English Premier League] comes in."
An almost perfect session for England. They built a healthy, surely impregnable lead courtesy of a fourth Test century from the back-in-form Gary Ballance and 59 rapid runs from Jos Buttler.
A nicely timed declaration from Alastair Cook allowed them a few overs at the West Indies before the interval, and Stuart Broad duly obliged with an absolute snorter to get rid of the doughty Kraigg Brathwaite. 10 out of 10?
"Kraigg Brathwaite looks an awkward player to dismiss, so it's been a perfect day so far for England. Let's see if West Indies can have a bit of fight against them, and get to the close with plenty in the tank."
"A good session from England, they've got the runs on the board and removed the dogged Brathwaite."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Tea interval
WI 9-1
Time for Tredders! England's new spin king is going to get an over before tea. A slip, a leg slip and a short leg crowd the batsman. Ows and oohs of thwarted jubilation as Tredwell defeats Devon Smith's outside edge with a pearler. Smith just about survives the Kentish inquistion, and it's time for tea.
"This is good from Cook, bringing Tredwell on - Devon Smith has had so many problems against off-spin, England even opened with Graeme Swann against him at Lord's in May once."
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Former England all-rounder Derek Pringle: Bowlers like Harmison & Flintoff were on fewer batsmen's Xmas card lists but Anderson has been the most skilful England bowler of his era.
WI 9-1
Darren Bravo is a terrific player to watch: high, Lara-esque backlift, all the shots, so much time. But this is all about survival, not artistry, and Stuart Broad is bowling really well at the moment - he pins the Trinidadian on the shoulder with a really sharp bouncer.
APCopyright: AP
How's stat?!
Only four teams have scored more than 400 in the fourth innings to win a Test, with West Indies' 418-7 to beat Australia in Antigua in 2003. The top five is:
418-7: West Indies v Australia, St John's, 2003 (below)
"Antigua's the only region of the West Indies where England have never won a Test, in eight attempts."
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WI 9-1 (Smith 4*, Bravo 1*)
Anderson steaming in in search of his 382nd Test wicket, a coiled spring of lithe, sinuous menace. Three slips and a gully waiting hungrily in the cordon. Bravo gets off the mark with a push in to the leg side.
"Broad's one of those bowlers where if he doesn't get a wicket for four or five overs, he can get frustrated. But if he strikes early, he has a chance of getting a couple more. He was pointing up at [bowling coach] Ottis Gibson on the balcony as if to say 'well done on the plan for having a short leg'. You've not been listening to us up here, Broady - we've been saying it for about five years."
WI 7-1 (target 438)
Darren Bravo is the new man. A hard job just got harder for West Indies.
"Great direction, good pace, right into the armpit - the short leg fielder was a few yards behind square, but he was there for exactly that shot. Great execution. On slow wickets, the short ball can be the most difficult to deal with."
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WICKET
Brathwaite c Root b Broad 5 (WI 7-1)
I love it when a plan comes together! Alastair Cook sticks Joe Root in under the helmet at short leg, and that means only one thing: Operation Short Ball. And it pays dividends fifth ball when Broad gets one to rear off a length right at Brathwaite's helmet, and the batsman can only spoon it off the splice. Root collects it as casually as a man picking a ripe peach off a low-hanging branch.
MGWEvans: 438 to win? That's almost an aggressive declaration, by Cook's standards...
Tony: I know 437 is pretty daunting but I always wonder if you get more psychological edge declaring NOT on a wicket.
Andrew Collon: Good to see the usual squawking about declarations from the #bbccricket armchair captains - an integral part of an English summer.
WI 3-0
Anderson has chosen to bowl from the other end than he did in the first innings. Kraigg Brathwaite, who looked really redoubtable in the first innings, is off the mark with a single tucked away square on the leg side. Only 437 to go, chaps! Devon Smith opens his account with a couple through much the same region.
"I'm going to make you grumpy straight away, Aggers. West Indies need 438 and England have three slips but no short leg."
Post update
So, England trot back out to the middle, sniffing for wickets before the tea interval. Jimmy Anderson has the ball, and if you were at all tempted to think this is a done deal, I'm hearing that there are showers forecast for tomorrow...
In defence of Cook
Text 81111
Andrew, London: No Duncan in Richmond (19:01), you miss the point. Bat on, humiliate them and break their spirit for the entire series.
Dave, Leyton: I think Cook didn't declare because he has total faith in his bowlers. He had about half an hour, in which both [players] on the crease started to try and hit big. Nothing wrong with that. Total confidence in his captaincy - he just needs to find confidence in his batting again.
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David Neill: Buttler entertaining, Root class and hopefully Ballance has silenced some doubters. Time for Jimmy to get that record.
David (another one): Don't watch much cricket but if England's openers actually performed, they would be a huge force in the game.
Peter Jarvis: Ballance played very responsibly in the anchor role - KP can't do that and that's why Ballance is in the team and KP isn't.
"It won't be a walkover, as West Indies have some resilient players - Brathwaite, Bravo and Chanderpaul will be key. But I don't think they can get the runs. Can they play out 130 overs? Potentially - if Chanderpaul can bat up to 100 overs. I'm sure they're trying, but they don't look like they're committed, the body language was droopy."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
"West Indies did score 418 to win that time in Antigua in 418, but that was at the Recreation Ground where many batting records have fallen."
Royalist stops play
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Jason in Cumbria: On 6 September 1997 our match at St Bees v Whitehaven 3rds was briefly interrupted by a "radgie royalist" who was disgusted that we were not busy paying our respects to the late Princess Diana. He stormed onto the pitch with a camcorder to capture the faces of the offending players only to be swiftly rebutted by our opening bowler's bare backside!
"The difference between the two teams in the field, all day, doesn't suggest West Indies will be able to survive the amount of time they've been asked to."
England have declared
Eng 333-7 dec
Alastair Cook calls his troops in, with the lead looking healthy enough to prevent any thoughts of a successful West Indies chase. And it looks like England will have time for a brief fusillade at the West Indies openers before tea...
WICKET
Jordan c Bravo b Roach 13 (Eng 333-7)
Jordan holes out to the man on the fence at mid-wicket. And...
"No fielding team loves this situation. It's been taken out of your hands - it hurts, and I know it's hurting the Windies boys now."
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When to declare?
Text 81111
Duncan, Richmond: I'm sorry but if Cook thinks England can't defend 410 then he's not fit to be captain... and there's already serious questions there... weak, weak, weak! Declare!
Eng 327-6 (lead by 431)
An eventful over ends. West Indies are toiling now, just waiting to be put out of their misery.
"It would now have to be a world record if West Indies were to win."
The highest successful Test fourth-innings chase was 418-7 by West Indies against Australia at the Antigua Recreation Ground in 2003.
RAF funeral stops play
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Peter Henderson: We had arranged a friendly at RAF Lyneham. They were engine testing Hercules aircraft so it wasn't exactly idyllic but we got our innings over and lunch was taken. An officer then came over to stop the game as a senior officer's funeral was going to pass right by the pitch and us playing cricket wasn't appropriate. Negotiations took place and after a delay the other side batted on a completely different and inferior ground at the other side of the airfield! Has any other match involved the two sides batting on such different surfaces?
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Edward Barron: 400 in first innings with a lower order collapse. 300 with four wickets in hand. Imagine if we had functioning openers! Formidable.
Clive Woodbridge: Surely KP would now have to come back as an opener?
50 for Buttler
Eng 321-6
Benn continues after drinks. I can only assume that Jerome Taylor must be as fragile as a Ming vase, as he's barely been seen today despite being by far West Indies' most threatening seamer. Jos Buttler moves to his third Test fifty with a big six over cow corner and a loopy single to backward point. Not to be outdone, Jordan gets in on the act with a meaty swing into the stands at long on. England are motoring, West Indies broken down on the hard shoulder.
"I like to think the fielder heard the no-ball call there, as otherwise it was one of the worst drops in the history of Test cricket."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Drinks break
Eng 306-6 (Buttler 43*, Jordan 3*)
The tension has gone out this game with alarming suddenness, like air hissing out of a punctured lilo. The strangely bathetic atmosphere is rather summed up when Holder oversteps, Buttler skies it in the air and Devon Smith, unaware of the no-ball, lets the catch straight through his hands. Jordan's off the mark with a pull to mid-wicket, and it's time for drinks.
"To be able to just play bowling around easily is a rare quality. Buttler has orthodox cricket shots, just like Maxwell for Australia, so they're very difficult to bowl at."
When to declare?
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Anthony Donegan: England looking to set West Indies a very teasingly gettable 800 runs on the last day...
Jon Dunn: England have got to think about what the opposition would least like to do - and that's to have 2-3 overs before tea.
Eng 299-6
Jos Buttler is on the charge here - he tiptoes down the track and carts Sulieman Benn over the rope at cow corner with immaculate timing, clean as a whistle. After a very uncharacteristic 22-ball duck in the first innings, he has a much more Buttler-esque 40 off 42 balls.
APCopyright: AP
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Chris Parker: Bell 100, Ballance 100, Root two 50s; and we apparently need KP in this middle order?
Kirstie: Why are they flying Moeen Ali out there when there's already good players NOT playing?
Eng 292-5 (Buttler 33*, Jordan 0*)
Amid that excitement, I forgot to tell you that Chris Jordan has arrived at the crease. Welcome Chris. Buttler keeps him off strike for the time being.
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Evan Byrne: Sometime prior to lunch on day one, you posted a message from someone opining that the top three in England's batting line up needed to be jettisoned because they were clearly not good enough. Gary Ballance was mentioned by name. Given that he averaged 60.75 in Test cricket at number three before this match, and has responded well enough to his low first innings score, I would invite whoever sent the message to re-assert that Ballance needs to be replaced. (I assume that the replacement would be a certain Surrey player, who averaged 37.8 in his last eight Tests, to Ballance's 60.75...) One score of 10 does not a poor batsman make, otherwise we would now have to drop Ian Bell...
Eng 289-6
Who says Sulieman Benn doesn't have any variations in his locker - he reaches into his box of tricks and pulls out a chest-high beamer. Buttler swats it away to the third man boundary with the nonchalance of a man shooing away an unexpectedly low-flying pigeon.
"There are some people who wouldn't have had Ballance playing in this Test - he's scored four hundreds in nine Tests, so let's please stop all that nonsense. I think he's even a contender for opening."
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WICKET
Ballance c Blackwood b Benn 122 (Eng 281-6)
APCopyright: AP
Gary Ballance's excellent innings is finally ended. He tries to smear Sulieman Benn into the mid-wicket stands but underclubs into a strong breeze and picks out Jermaine Blackwood on the rope.
A terrific innings though - and Ballance wears a look of justifiable delight on his ruddy face as he walks off.
"West Indies will know Alastair Cook is a conservative captain - call it kidology, but you can tell they're making a conscious effort to slow the game down. They'll just slow the over-rate down as the longer the West Indies are in the field now, the better it is for them. They might just keep going with the old ball after 80 overs."
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Leo Watson: Quality knock by Gary Ballance. Horribly out of form for months but shown real guts to dig this out. Brave and inspiring knock.
Andy Donley: The excellent Gary Ballance giving further evidence as to why England aren't in as bad a position as many insist.
Stoney: I remember when the bowling team applauded a batsmen scoring a century. Nowadays it's greeted with disdain.
Eng 281-5 (Ballance 122*, Buttler 24*)
Our first sighting of pace in this afternoon session - Jason Holder, who is precisely as tall as Sulieman Benn but considerably more rapid, has the cherry. Jos Buttler, his big beak smeared in white zinc cream, brings up the 50 partnership with a pleasingly unreconstructed mow down the ground. England are so comfortable here they're not so much in the driving seat as in the old armchair with their dressing gown and slippers on.
On Twitter: "Good comment from Athers - '20 years ago if a batsman was pinned in the Caribbean, it wouldn't have been from a straight drive off a spinner'."
Eng 272-5
There seems to be some sort of contretemps brewing between Gary Ballance and Sulieman Benn - Benn apparently took exception to the vigorous way in which Ballance celebrated his century and has treated him to a few hard stares. England add three singles from the giant spinner's latest over.
"Ballance, once he's finished batting, will have to ice that - then he can put his feet up and watch his team-mates field for the rest of the day!"
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Eng 269-5 (Ballance 116*, Buttler 18*)
Ballance is made of tough stuff - he looks like the sort of man who would medicate a broken limb with an ice pack and a rich tea biscuit. He's OK to carry on.
"Buttler's absolutely creamed that, it could have broken Ballance's arm."
Ouch!
Eng 267-5
Jos Buttler has cleaned up Gary Ballance here - he gets full hold of a loopy delivery from Marlon Samuels and wallops it into the right bicep of the cowering Ballance. Magic spray please!
Eng 258-5
Ballance removes his helmet and allows himself a celebratory wipe of his sweaty brow. An excellent job. Buttler then shows wrists of Jahangir Khan to slap a preposterously skilful reverse sweep behind square for four.
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Burglars stop play
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James in Boldon: A few years ago we were watching our local first team (Boldon CC) and a police helicopter hovered overhead. A burglar then vaulted over the boundary fence, persued by CID. My mate rugby-tackled the burglar and another spectator sat on him until he was cuffed and escorted away!
Paddy Byers: A tour match for our Sunday league side was stopped when the police arrived to tell the ref that his house had been burgled. (A football match, does it count?)
Eng 251-5 (Ballance 106*, Buttler 10*)
Buttler gets his first boundary with a powerful reverse sweep for four, but he nearly bites off more than he can chew next ball - pulling aerially to offer a hard chance which Kraigg Brathwaite can't quite pouch at midwicket. A couple of let-offs already for Jos.
Bobby Charlton stops play
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Alan Wallace: We had a delayed start because Bobby Charlton was on the outfield being filmed for a training video. He then joined us for a knock-up before taking my opening bowlers to the bar while we batted first.
Eng 245-5 (lead by 349)
A swept two takes Ballance to 105, England's lead to one shy of 350 and Benn's figures to 1-75 from 21.
"Herbert Sutcliffe scored five hundreds in his first nine Tests, a record for England. Only two other players have got four hundreds in their first nine Tests: Andrew Strauss and Peter Parfitt."
100 for Ballance
Eng 243-5
There it is! Gary Ballance gets to his fourth Test century - and his first away from England - with a clobbered four down the ground. He removes his helmet and punches the air, a grimace of satisfaction on his face - what a gutsy innings from the number three after a run of low scores.
Eng 239-5 (Ballance 99*, Buttler 5*)
Ballance is creeping towards his landmark here like a burglar stealing down a moonlit garden path - he inches to 99 with a top edge to third man and a nudge into the leg side.
AWOL soldier stops play
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Edward Page: A pub match for my pub team, the Snowdrop, was halted when the military police turned up to arrest one of the opposition who was AWOL. He bolted over a hedge and was not seen again.
Eng 236-5
Ballance moves two closer to his hundred with a delicate paddle sweep very fine down the leg side.
Eng 233-5 (Ballance 95*, Buttler 4*)
Cries of 'Get him, get him!' as Ballance pushes Samuels into the covers and Blackwood (I think) pounces on the ball and fizzes a throw at the stumps - would have had Buttler out by two feet if he'd hit.
Dad stops play
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Dan Johnson: I remember watching Test matches in the summer on the BBC, including a certain Mr Boycott, and my Dad coming home at lunchtime and booting my brother and I out of the house to get some 'fresh air'. We had to hide at the bottom of the garden until he had gone back to the office before sneaking back in to resume play.
Eng 229-5
Gary Ballance is one hit away from his fourth Test century now - those slow, loopy off-breaks of Sulieman Benn must look mighty tempting. Benn keeps it tight though, and Ballance remains watchful - a maiden.
Pop Idol stops play
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Rob Heath: We once stopped a game because Gareth Gates landed in a helicopter next to the pitch!
Keep sending in your bizarre reasons for stopping play, we've had some excellent ones so far.
Eng 229-5 (Ballance 94*, Buttler 1*)
It'll be spin from both ends, with Marlon Samuels bowling in tandem with Benn. Buttler gets off the mark with a push into the covers.
"Jos Buttler doesn't need to do anything silly. His natural way is to play and score - so just play naturally. There is pressure when you have the range of shot he has, that people expect it all the time."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Eng 226-5
Jos Buttler, who pocketed a 22-ball duck in the first innings, strides to the crease.
"That's hari-kari. He gave his wicket away. There was probably something in the dressing room about scoring quick runs, but you can do that with common sense. He never looked like getting to the pitch. If you don't get there, just block it."
WICKET
Stokes st Ramdin b Benn 35 (Eng 226-5)
Good Lord. Sulieman Benn, who has looked about as threatening as a feather duster so far, suddenly has his first wicket of the match. Ben Stokes dances down the track, aims a big heave at a slow off-break, misses and holds the pose as Denesh Ramdin whips the bails off.
Post update
Thank you Mitch. Evening everyone. England in a strong position here, with Gary Ballance in sight of his fourth Test ton. Sulieman Benn to open the bowling after lunch.
Post update
And just like that, lunch is concluded, the players are on their way back out and it's time to allow James Gheerbrant to talk you through the afternoon session. Please be nice to him.
Pedantic umpire stops play
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Sian (still angry): One of Hampstead women's team's league matches last season was stopped by an umpire for the match scheduled after ours intruding onto the pitch mid-over, accompanied by two sheepish-looking captains, and demanding to get the toss done at that exact moment. The lack of respect was, quite frankly, phenomenal and he was heckled off the pitch following this incident by supporters of both our match and the following men's game.
The genius then decided that the best place for him to sit and wait for his match to begin was in the middle of our players waiting to bat. They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but a team of women's cricketers scorned is a completely different matter...
When to declare?
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Jim: With Ballance & Stokes in with Buttler to come, Alastair should be looking at getting an additional 100 runs & sticking WI in.
"We've been joined by Antigua and Barbuda government minister Chet Greene. Not many countries have Ministers of Trade, Sport, Culture and Festivities."
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Guinness slows play
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Andrew: A few years back we were playing a friendly match on a Sunday afternoon. The opposition were "owed a favour" by a certain Dublin based brewery. They duly arrived with a couple of barrels and a case of Champagne. Guinness and Black Velvets did not quite stop play however they certainly slowed everything down. Even the umpires had a pint sitting behind the stumps. As for the result? Who knows - the scorer fell asleep.
Post update
More from Sir Curtly Ambrose on TMS: "James Anderson and Stuart Broad bowl well together in partnership. Anderson didn't take all his wickets in England, so that shows that he's not just effective in English conditions. He's a wonderful bowler and to have reached this stage is a wonderful achievement."
Sir Ian Botham stops play
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Charles Hampton: A certain Sir Ian Botham landed his chopper on our cricket pitch to watch his son playing football in the Under-11s, the football game was stopped to watch this momentous event! Not sure if Sir Ian was the pilot, but our groundsman was not too pleased!
Post update
More from Sir Curtly Ambrose on TMS: "I keep telling our players we have to bowl in partnerships, like I did with Courtney Walsh. 20-30 years ago, we were the best team in the world and everyone was proud of us as we unified the Caribbean. Today, we're not doing so well, people are not so happy, but they still watch the cricket. They argue about what we're doing wrong, but that's Caribbean people."
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Tom Chetwyn: Can't see Cook lasting much longer with this form but who is there to replace him?
Andrew Stone: Rashid is a leg-spinner who bats a bit. England should pick him as a new number eight and hope he becomes Steve Smith.
Post update
Former West Indies fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose on TMS: "We are a proud nation. Whatever we do, we always try to be the best. We want to show them that even though we're small, we can be as good as you - that's our passion. Standards were very high back in the day."
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James Gulleford: Those England players scores in the IPL (see 17:15) say it all really! Morgan not even better than a run a ball! #notgoodenough
TMS are now hearing from cricketing knight and local hero Sir Curtly Ambrose about Antigua's cricketing heritage.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Post update
More from Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "Jonathan Trott's come back into the side, and everyone wants to see him do well. Alastair Cook has scored more runs than anyone in England cricket. As a leader, he's a top lad, and I'd like to see people start backing him, and I think he'll put a lot of egg on a lot of people's faces over the next few months."
Ducks stop play
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Tom Leonard: We once has ducks fly onto the pitch and halt the game! Not a good omen for the incoming batsmen!
Andy Shaw: I thought the currently trending topic #HookMeADuck might be an unkind reference to Alastair Cook. Seems not.
Post update
Do you think Kevin Pietersen could or should return for England?
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "I don't know. he's an extraordinary talent who strengthened every team I played in with him. I'm not sure about everything that's gone on over the last two years with the book and everything, but he's going to have to prove his case by scoring runs. You don't just walk back into an England team - you look at Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes and Buttler, who could be England's AB de Villiers. Wherever Kevin goes, he'll create headlines. We'll see what happens."
Post update
On the new director of England cricket role:
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "There's a lot of candidates being bandied about, great England captains of the past. I was just a footsoldier, I'm not in a position to be saying who should get the job."
Wedding stops play
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Simon, Bristol: I recall years ago playing in the Devon League for Alphington at Cockington - a ground located right next to a church. That particular Saturday afternoon a member of the Cockington club was getting married at the church and after the ceremony the game was halted for a few minutes so the home team could create a 'tunnel of honour' using their bats while the player left the church.
Post update
Would you like to see an English Premier League like the IPL or BBL replace the T20 Blast?
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "This is a Premier League of sorts. It's 18 teams all playing their best team, and the standard is high. Last year in my first game against Worcestershire, my second ball went over my head, and that's never happened before. Let's see how this season goes. You get 25,000 at Old Trafford watching Lancashire v Yorkshire, and Chelmsford is always packed out. Let's give the Blast a chance - the Big Bash wasn't formed overnight, it's taken four years to get where they are now."
Insects stop play
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Luke in Leeds: On a dark, damp and quite dull night at Cote de Blubberhouses, a game was nearly abandoned because of midges. I remember going out to bat with a tea towel wrapped around my neck and struggling to see the umpire at the other end. A swarm of midges would occupy the wicket ends, waiting for their next victim. Thankfully I only had two balls to face before I ran back to the pavilion in pursuit of the umpire, who ran as if he was being chased by lions.
Dom Holtam: My old club had to abandon a Kent village league match after a swarm of flying ants descended on the pitch.
Post update
More from Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "I think English cricket's on the cusp of something special. I wouldn't get too hung up on the World Cup - I played in four and they were all rubbish. I look at the Test team now and I think we're as strong as we ever have been, they're just lacking a bit of confidence. I'd have Alastair Cook leading the side every day of the week - he's one of the all-time England greats."
Post update
Will you be playing for Lancashire again this season?
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "I don't know what's happening - I played in the Big Bash for Brisbane and went in the jungle, now I'm taking stock. I've not spoken to Ashley Giles or Lancashire, I need to see what his vision is and see if he wants a 37-year-old man playing. It's whether I have something to offer."
Naughty boy (and dog) stop play
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Jack, Bicester: We once had a young lad walk onto the pitch mid game and proceed to sit on the middle of the wicket with his dog until his mother allowed him back into the house for sneaking out after being grounded.... to watch the cricket.
Post update
Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "Last year's T20 final still bothers me - I think about what I should have done to win it for Lancashire. I look at some of the young lads and I'm jealous of them - they're young and they've got all that cricket in front of them."
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Post update
More from Chris Woakes on TMS: "We didn't do ourselves justice at the World Cup and that's the most disappointing thing. It's frustrating for me to miss out on the West Indies tour because of a foot injury, but I'm going to make sure with a couple of early performances for Warwickshire that I'm knocking on the door for the New Zealand series.
"I do think Jonathan Trott will bounce back. I know he hasn't gone as well in this series as he would have liked, but I think he'll settle into that opening slot, which we know is not an easy one. I think it's only a matter of time until he finds his feet again at international level."
Post update
Some news from the Indian Premier League - England one-day players Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara have been batting together today for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals. Morgan made 27 from 30 balls, Bopara hit 23 not out from 19 in Hyderabad's 127-5 from 20 overs.
Post update
More from Chris Woakes on TMS: "It will be nice to have Brendon McCullum onside, especially after what happened at the Cake Tin in the World Cup. He's a fantastic cricketer, and the way he captained his side at the World Cup was an inspiration. Hopefully he can improve us as players and he can bring more players to the club."
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Ben Hudson: I'm not a cricket fan, I'm more of a casual observer. When was the last time Cook had a decent England game?
Harry Wilko: Feel it would be unfair to drop Trott after one Test, but I would put Lyth instead of Cook.
Post update
More from Chris Woakes on TMS: "If we do have franchise cricket in England, I think it will be a good thing, because it will show that things are moving forward and it will put players in pressure situations."
Read more from Chris Woakesabout when he might return from his foot injury - and why he'll be at the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.
Ambulances and helicopters stop play
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Mark, Coventry: We had an hour delay last season at Meriden Spartans when the air ambulance landed at fine leg to deal with a lad who left part of his arm on a nearby fence (not as bad as it seemed!). The crowd didn't stay to watch the resumption in play...
Miles from Lancaster: I was playing in an U12s school match for Lancaster RGS, when our game was suspended so that a helicopter could land. It turns out that it was the Princess Royal who was visiting the school in order to mark the 150th anniversary.
Post update
England and Warwickshire/Birmingham all-rounder Chris Woakes on TMS: "I'm really excited. It was a fantastic tournament last year, and everyone's excited about the summer ahead. It was a fantastic day when we won last year in front of our fans, and fortunately I managed to get us over the line. Franchise cricket has taken over in other parts of the world, but I think what's important for our competition is we've got some great players coming, not just from the county system but from all over the world. I've played in the Big Bash but I still believe ours has a strong standard."
TMS will be hearing from Windies legend Sir Curtly Ambrose a little later - but for now, they're previewing the new T20 Blast season, hearing from Andrew Flintoff and Chris Woakes, amongst others, from today's media launch.
Big names in this season's competition include Brendon McCullum (Birmingham), Chris Gayle (Somerset), Kumar Sangakkara (Surrey) and Shahid Afridi (Northants).
"England are in a very strong position. The partnership between Root and Ballance was excellent. Stokes has come out and made it look very easy. He's played with real power, and skill in those reverse sweeps. West Indies have been poor, but it's important that England give themselves enough time with the declaration."
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Ian Bradley: Great to see Ballance flourishing back in his natural habitat, should never wear anything but white for England again.
Peter Collins: Can we please just not criticise our middle order? They've scored high and at a reasonable rate this match. Be happy!
Ballance moves into the 90s with a careful dab for two, taking England briefly onto double Nelson in what could be the last over before lunch. A couple of easy singles - and a couple of spurious field changes - mean the clock has ticked around to noon at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and it's time for lunch.
Electric fence stops play
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Nick Soan: An electric fence stopped play for us, as the ball was hit in to a little grass area housing a couple of horses at the bottom of our pitch, our fielder jumped the fence and threw the ball back. Comedy then followed as his first three of four attempts of climbing back over all ended up with his leg hitting the electric fence, his body going into spasm and then his body thumping the floor. Must have been a good 15 minutes until he got back, while we all just watched.
Eng 220-4 (Ballance 89*, Stokes 32*)
A Stokes single brings Ballance on strike again, but he's batting with the calm equilibrium his surname suggests, leaving or patting back the good balls before turning a looser delivery off his legs for one.
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Tom Holmes: The West Indians have Sulieman Benn as their premier spinner. I'm pretty sure they'd kill to have Tredders in their side.
Nick Lovering: Is this the bit when we bat far too long and don't give our (somewhat average) attack enough time to prise out the Crab?
Eng 218-4 (lead by 322)
Has Ballance enough time to reach a century before lunch? He cuts Samuels for two to move to 88, but looks content enough to approach the interval unscathed.
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Drunk umpire stops play
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Jez Denton in Banbury: At a game once at Abingdon Rugby Club vs Peachcroft Social Club the game was held up as one of the umpires had fallen asleep drunk on cider in a bouncy castle that then deflated on him. To be fair he'd been caught out on a number of occasions with a golf ball having been dropped in his pint meaning he had to finish the pint in one go. Lbw's were removed as an 'out' due to a lack of accuracy!
Eng 216-4
After that two-over burst from Taylor, it's back to Benn who has had a change of ends, and a Ballance single brings up the fifty partnership, prompting an understated, manly handshake between the two left-handers. The Seaweed Man is dancing away again.
Red Arrows stop play
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Kevin McMeeking: On 22 August 2014, our Tipton St John CC game stopped to allow the Red Arrows to fly over the ground in preparation for the Dartmouth Regatta.
Eng 215-4 (lead by 319)
Samuels brings in a man under the lid at silly point, but Ballance cuts a single straight past him.
We're about 12 minutes from lunch - when TMS will be previewing the new domestic T20 Blast season in England.
Deer stops play
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Ian Pollard: Has anyone mentioned the Championship match in the mid-90s between Yorkshire & Derbyshire at Sheffield? A deer appeared from somewhere near deep mid-wicket (not quite cow corner!) then ran across the middle of the pitch, nearly wiped out Anthony McGrath at extra cover before jumping the advertising boards, bouncing off a taxi in the car park and setting off down the drive in the general direction of Dore station.
Eng 213-4 (Ballance 84*, Stokes 30*)
A well-timed cut brings Ballance his 10th four, while even Jerome Taylor is leaking singles now - even if England declared this minute, West Indies would already be looking at about the fourth highest successful run chase in the Caribbean.
Sunbathing snake stops play
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Jack Barlow: During a school game, we returned after tea to find an adder sunning itself on the pitch. Batters weren't that keen to resume.
Eng 205-4 (lead by 309)
Stokes smacks Samuels past the lumbering Benn at cover for a comfortable two, as the runs continue to flow with ease for the tourists.
Not a time to be a Windies fan. These two have added 39 in no time at all, and if one of them goes, England have Jos Buttler revved up to come in next.
Dead sheep starts play
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Chris Daborn: We held, on our farm in Scotland, an annual cricket match of the "Village" versus an "International XI" of overseas veterinary students. One year we found a dead sheep on the wicket. Being one player short we moved it down to third man and play started now having a full complement of fielders.
Eng 200-4 (60 overs)
Jerome Taylor returns for one last spell before lunch. Stokes off-drives and Shiv Chanderpaul - who was showing his 40 years earlier - makes a great full-length diving stop of which any of his younger team-mates could be proud. Another cracking cover drive takes England to 200 and the overall lead to 304. Dominant.
"England have played well. They have capitalised on some poor bowling - Ballance has played some lovely shots through the off side and Stokes has played a couple of reverse-sweeps. Since that 10-over burst with the new ball, West Indies have looked like a team that will just wait for the declaration."
Bombs and guns stop play
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Lee Beale, Wimborne: I was playing in a game in Bournemouth for Pavilion Sports CC against Dorset Police and the start of the game was delayed when the bomb squad blew up a suspect package outside the changing room.
Andrew from Balerno, Edinburgh: I was once playing in a T20 game in Edinburgh for the mighty Currie & Balerno where play was stopped when a shirtless youth cycled across the square with an air rifle slung over his shoulder.
Eng 194-4 (lead by 298)
I won't pretend it's an easy situation for the fielding captain in these circumstances - how to balance the need for wickets with leaving gaps open for easy runs. Ramdin tries to ring the changes by introducing Marlon Samuels's part-time off-spin for the first time today.
Stokes reverse-sweeps and misses - the ball hits his bicep and bounces off the keeper into the hands of first slip. Just a single added to the score.
"The West Indies' body language doesn't look too good. They are sauntering around and it looks a foregone conclusion. There's some motivation needed because it still hasn't got away from them. They need to retain some control."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Scorecard update
England 193-4 (58 overs) - lead by 297 runs
Batsmen: Ballance 74*, Stokes 20*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11), 166-4 (Root 59)
England captain Alastair Cook and coach Peter Moores, up on the balcony, will be fairly pleased with this morning session so far, as apart from Joe Root's wicket, it's been steady, risk-free accumulation. Stokes is toying with West Indies, taking a couple of twos before swiping a four between the solitary slip and gully. "The horse has bolted, and it's running away down the road" notes Tony Cozier on TMS as Ramdin belatedly brings in an extra slip. Stokes isn't hanging around here and the game is slipping away from West Indies.
Cows stop play
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Chris Mills: Stourport CC seconds were once off due to cows invading the home side's ground and leaving hoofprints on a length.
Eng 184-4 (lead by 288)
With combined match figures of 40-5-144-0 before this over, fair to say it's not been a vintage game for left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn. England are picking off ones and twos with ease. His figures are now 15-2-62-0 for the innings, 41-5-147-0 for the match.
"From all accounts, Devendra Bishoo has bowled well this season. He's a leggie from Guyana. I'm not sure why he was dropped because he has got an immaculate record. There are no excuses for him not to be playing."
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Eng 181-4 (Ballance 74*, Stokes 8*)
Holder's fit to continue - how West Indies need him, as the last thing you need with a four-man attack is one of those four going off injured. Ballance helps himself to a couple, then a long-hop outside off stump is easily slapped through the covers for four to the delight of some England fans on the grassy terraces behind that boundary. Holder is frustrated as the last ball beats Ballance's outside edge - the old Harrovian has 74 from 177 balls.
Anneka Rice stops play
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Nicholas Rowe: "On 13 Jan 1983, our Sudbury CC game stopped to allow Anneka Rice's helicopter to land for an episode of Treasure Hunt. OK, it was a bit staged, but it was still a memorable pitch invasion (vivid memories of shiny spandex).
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Eng 175-4 (lead by 279)
While the Windies physio goes to have a word with Holder on the boundary, Benn is rather taken aback as Stokes gets off the mark by fluently reverse-sweeping him for four - and then repeats the shot at the end of the over, taking advantage of a characteristically unguarded third man boundary.
Shooting stops play
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Pete, Lutterworth: At Stoneygate Cricket Club in the early '90s, we had to stop a game to pursue a gunman who had shot a child through some woods at the edge of our ground. We caught him and turned him over to the police and the club received a letter from the Chief Constable. Unfortunately, by the time it was all over, it had started raining heavily and the match was abandoned…
Eng 167-4 (Ballance 68*, Stokes 0*)
Ballance plays out a probing maiden over from Holder - but Sir Viv Richards on TMS notices Holder having a word with Ramdin at the end of the over and then stalking off to the boundary - he may be carrying an injury.
Stuffed tiger stopped play
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Rob from Salisbury: I played in the stuffed tiger game. I must admit I'd forgotten about it before your mention.
Re: 15.17 (Graeme Fowler's autobiography) that's simply untrue. Root is an opener and bats middle order. Katich did it for Aus. The reason middle-order batsmen don't open is because facing the new ball is a different skill to batting middle-order. Lyth won't open for England, they have no intention of picking him because if he did well that would cause them problems and they'd have to leave someone out when Moeen gets back. Same reason Rashid wasn't picked. They didn't want him to do well as that would have caused selection problems when Moeen is back and England constitutionally aren't allowed to select two spinners.
Eng 167-4
Stokes holds the pose, he doesn't think he's out - and not only was the impact outside off stump (with Stokes playing a shot), the ball-tracker shows it missing the stumps completely - so that's about as "not out" as you can get. I repeat my suggestion from yesterday that captain Denesh Ramdin should have some remedial lessons on the use of DRS, as West Indies have wasted their reviews in quite a shocking manner. Perhaps Swanny could have a word?
Umpire review
Single from Ballance, then there's a big appeal as Big Benn hits Stokes on the pad sweeping. Umpire Davis shakes his head as Benn descends to one knee - and West Indies gamble with their last review (though they get the back after 80 overs).
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Drunk mother stops play
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Charlie de Mierre: I was playing in a school match which had to be put on hold for about 45 minutes in order to deal with the mother of one of my team-mates, who had turned up to watch the game tipsy and then proceeded to booze her way through at least a bottle of gin. Her support from the boundary was so inappropriately raucous that the game was stopped while a cab was ordered to take her home and she was force-fed tea and Victoria sponge in the pavilion.
Eng 166-4 (lead by 270)
Ben Stokes is the new batsman, joining fellow left-hander Ballance at the crease. The Durham man sees out the rest of Holder's over - the Windies ODI captain has 1-24 from 10 overs.
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James Gutteridge: If Root doesn't go on to be England's all-time highest run scorer then something will have gone horribly wrong.
Harry Shawyer: *Turns cricket on* England lose a wicket within 2 minutes. *Turns cricket off*.
Drinks break
With an hour of play gone, the umpires see Root's dismissal as a good time to wave the drinks break on. England lead by 270.
"He played it very softly, very late. There are many ways to get out, let me tell you. And he'll have a few more funny ones before he finishes his career. But he played very well. He was busy - and he did it in both innings."
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WICKET
Root b Holder 59 (Eng 166-4 - lead by 270)
For the second time in this match, Joe Root has played a delicate defensive shot onto his stumps after a good-looking half century - the bowler was Taylor in the first innings, Holder this time, and the young Yorkshireman walks off shaking his head as the potential for a big innings is quashed again.
Sam Stevens: South Africa batsman Daryl Cullinan once hit the ball out of the stadium and into a frying pan of hot calamari during a game in 1995. Play was delayed for 10 minutes whilst the coating of grease was removed.
Also, play was delayed twice during a Lancashire-Sussex match at Lytham St Anne's in the same year, when excerpts from Holy Communion at nearby St Cuthbert's Church mysteriously came over on the ground's speaker system.
Eng 165-3 (Ballance 66*, Root 59*)
Ian Bell was run out in rather a careless manner yesterday evening, but Ballance and Root have looked secure between the wickets today (and I hope that's not a commentator's curse). Having exchanged careful singles for a while, Ballance finally gives it some welly when he slog-sweeps Big Benn over mid-wicket for six.
Murder stops play
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James: In the North Shields area of North Eastern England, sometime in 1980s, Percy Main CC were once 'murdered off' after police closed the ground due to a homicide having taken place on the pitch the night before!
Scorecard update
England 157-3 (50 overs) - lead by 261 runs
Batsmen: Ballance 59*, Root 58*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11)
Jason Holder stands 6ft 7ins but he's a shade down on pace from the great West Indies giants of the 1980s. Fast-medium if you're being generous, medium-fast if you're being harsh. The Yorkshire pair plunder a total of three singles.
Gazebo on fire stops play
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liamjhicks: We once had to stop play because a gazebo caught fire when the BBQ inside it was left unattended and it got a bit windy!
"I don't profess to understand what Alastair Cook and Peter Moores will do about a declaration. I would say, give yourself at least 30 overs tonight and 90 over tomorrow. Not many sides survive 120 overs."
Eng 154-3 (lead by 258)
A ripple of applause as England's score passes 150 and the Ballance-Root stand passes 100, but it was a rare glimmer of hope for the Caribbean side as Root edges Benn for a four past slip. I'll say this for West Indies, their over-rate is better today, 11 overs in 48 minutes so far.
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Dan Davies, London: I genuinely think that knocking Cook down to third or even fourth would do him the world of good. Give him time to get his head straight.
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Eng 149-3 (Ballance 58*, Root 51*)
A double change in the bowling - indeed, it is Jason Holder to replace fellow right-arm seamer Kemar Roach. (I nearly typed "eight-arm seamer" - imagine facing the bowling of an octopus...) Ed Smith on TMS thinks West Indies need something quickly before the game is gone for them, but Ballance easily negotiates a maiden over. This stand is worth 97.
"In the first innings and in this innings he has been busy, he has been composed. He's always been in control of what he's doing and he's got the scoreboard ticking nicely."
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Helicopter stops play
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Jack, Bournemouth: We had to stop play once to allow our cricket field to be used as an emergency helicopter pad!
50 for Root
Eng 149-3 (lead by 253)
England have won their first battle of the day, having seen off Jerome Taylor's first four-over spell, as West Indies turn to the towering left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, who's yet to take a wicket in this match. (If he played for England, I'm sure the inbox would be flooded with fans demanding his immediate replacement). Ballance picks off an easy single, while Root helps himself to a two to bring up his second fifty of the match from 68 balls. Well batted, young man.
"I hope England really believe they can win. They haven't totally got to a position where the West Indies are out of it. But they are well in control and West Indies will be out of it some time around lunch. That's when you've got to put your foot on the accelerator, put your foot on their throat. I don't think Alastair Cook thinks like that as a captain."
Tornado stops play
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Alastair Wood: During my time playing for Rickling Ramblers, we had play stopped due to a tornado and another time due to a swarm of wasps.
Eng 146-3
A discarded plastic bag blows across the outfield as Roach begins a new over, Ballance executes a careful dab past the slips for one to take the lead to 250. If you were a Windies fan, you'd wonder where the next wicket is coming from. Time for Holder?
Carrot stops play
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Andy Stead: I remember one game at Headingley where after a morning and afternoon's drinking, an inebriated spectator in a full-height carrot costume encroached onto the field of play. The carrot, closely followed by stewards and police, ran around the pitch before tripping up over the boundary rope and headbutting the advertising hoardings. Due to being knocked out, play was delayed whilst the carrot was attended too by first aiders before being escorted from the ground by the local constabulary.
"These two batsmen look comfortable. A wicket sometimes comes from nowhere but it doesn't look like it will."
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Eng 145-3 (lead by 249)
It's been the Gary Ballance Show for England so far, but now Joe Root comes to the party (copyright Duncan Fletcher) with a couple of sumptuous cover drives of his own, right out of the Gower textbook. He even holds the pose to aid any photographers who didn't get it straight away. Now he's one short of his fifty.
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To Trott or not to Trott?
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Matt Roberts: It already seems evident that Trott doesn't have the technique to play as an opener - he looks vulnerable against the new ball. You could argue that he batted three previously so may have been exposed to a fair amount of new-ball bowling, but prior to the failings in the last Ashes series Trott already had a platform to build on. Give Lyth the shot he deserves.
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Eng 137-3 (Ballance 56*, Root 41*)
Roach goes round the wicket to the leftie Ballance, who lets a couple go, waiting for the right delivery to slap through point for four. Another lovely shot.
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David Cunningham: England took 113 overs to bowl out West Indies in first innings. At their current poor over rate they will need to declare now.
Eng 133-3 (lead by 237)
It's safety first for Root, who has taken 60 balls to make 41 - he sees off a maiden from Taylor. Meanwhile, with plenty of ribs sizzling on a nearby BBQ, Aggers and Graeme Swann recall an ODI in Potchefstroom when the match was delayed because of the smoke and fog generated by all the braais (South African barbecues).
Have any of you ever been at a match where a stranger reason than "braai stopped play" halted the game? Such as "stuffed toy tiger stops play" at a Hampshire Academy match at the Rose Bowl's nursery ground in 2011?
"That's a very well-made fifty. Ballance is not a David Gower-type left-hander; he's not all flair and easy on the eye. But he's very compact and he has looked very assured.
"I remember Andy Flower saying what a good player Gary Ballance was. He liked the way he shaped up and his technique. If it's good enough for Andy Flower, it's good enough for me."
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50 for Ballance
Eng 133-3
And that's a fourth Test fifty for Gary Ballance, as the left-hander cracks Roach for a lovely four through the covers. It seems now that any left-hander's cover drive will indubitably be measured against that of a certain DI Gower, but that was a terrific shot.
A sub-plot of the Trott debate seems to be this: what about Ballance opening and Trott at three? I remember reading Graeme Fowler's autobiography many years ago - he questioned why middle-order batsmen are often suggested as openers, but the reverse never happens - openers are never selected in the middle order.
To Trott or not to Trott?
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Matthew West: Adam Lyth surely cannot be overlooked again for the next Test. If he doesn't play this tour, it sends the message that county runs count for nothing. Why mess with the batting line-up just to get Trott in? Pick a genuine opener to open the batting.
Eng 126-3 (Taylor 10-4-19-2)
Old man Shivnarine Chanderpaul chases the ball from mid-on like an old man in a club game, lets the ball go straight through him and shows all of his 40 years, allowing Root to scamper a three. Ballance, two short of a half-century, defends well against Taylor.
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Stuart, tax accountant: Re: Edward 14:58, I concur with you Mark - summarised perfectly. Tax law is a tricky beast that not everyone likes, people like to slag off, but everyone needs it. Much like KP.
Many, many people: After deductions, it should be nett not net.
"I hope I'm not going to do a Michael Vaughan and jinx Joe Root. His batting looks better and better every time I see him play. He's really maturing and starting to look like the real deal. The England batting order needs a leader and Joe Root can do it."
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Eng 123-3 (Ballance 48*, Root 35*)
Kemar Roach to take the second over of the day, he went for 32 in nine overs yesterday and looked a bit down on pace. The right-handed Joe Root forges ahead with a two and a single.
To Trott or not to Trott?
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Anthony: Mr Gunter (14:55), if you'd listened more carefully to Mr Boycott, you'd have heard him say: "well, I wouldn't have picked him there". In other words, Boycs wasn't saying he wouldn't have picked him: he was saying he shouldn't be opening - a point he then clarified in some detail later.
Ian, Barcelona: It doesn't really matter if Trott or Ballance opens if Cook is the other opener. It is quite likely they will both end up as de facto openers should Cook's form continue and he is back in the pavilion with less than 20 on the board.
Eng 120-3 (lead by 224)
Jerome Taylor from the Sir Andy Roberts End - England's first task must be to see the big Jamaican paceman's first spell off. Taylor, with a big grin on his face, goes round the wicket to the left-handed Gary Ballance, who gets England going with a cut for four past Big Benn at gully.
"I can only see today going England's way, They have to get 350-400 ahead - you need four sessions to give yourselves the best opportunity to win.
"I hope they'll be positive and get those runs quickly, But I wouldn't be surprised if in this first session we see 70 or 80 runs. I know full well that in the dresssng room they'll be saying, 'Let's just get to lunch'."
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Post update
I hope for West Indies' sake they had one of those fiery pep-talks from Curtly Ambrose. At least two of their four-man attack (Kemar Roach and Sulieman Benn) were off-colour yesterday evening, putting a lot of pressure on Jerome Taylor and Jason Holder, with only Marlon Samuels's part-time off-spin as an alternative.
Taylor's up first. Aggers has spotted the Seaweed Man - he's on the other side of the ground from where he was yesterday. Let's play.
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Adrian Rowden: Poor old Cookie and Trotty, having to face cheap Windies cricket balls that swing. Whatever next...
Start-of-play scorecard
England 116-3 (38 overs) - lead by 220 runs
Batsmen: Ballance 44*, Root 32*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11)
"When Trott is playing well, I don't see him moving towards mid-off with his head position. The biggest skill when batting is to be still on release of the ball but Jonathan Trott isn't. That makes it hard to be consistent. He has to be more still."
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Edward: Any chance you could drop the use of "net" to describe a lead from the website's live text service? I'm at a loss to explain why it jars with me. But for balance, credit to the team for an excellent account of the Test match so far!
Apologies if it disconcerts you, Edward. Blame me. It's "net" as in the use of the word "net" to mean after tax and other deductions. So while England are "gross" 116-3, in effect they're "net" 220-3 in a one-innings match. Had they trailed by 104 on first innings, they'd be "net" 12-3. Their over-rate is, however, just "gross".
Post update
We're on for a prompt start in Antigua. A sneak preview of the lunch interval at 17:00 BST - TMS will be reporting on today's launch of the new T20 Blast season, hearing from Andrew Flintoff and Chris Woakes.
"I would have taken the risk on Trott because of his record. But Ballance would be better suited to open and have Trott at three. I don't think it would affect Gary Ballance because he's a tremendous player."
To Trott or not to Trott?
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Tom Gunter: Whilst Cook's form has been patchy it's interesting to see Boycott suggest Trott shouldn't be playing... a month after he publicly said he should be in the team.
"England are in such a strong position that they have got to let the game take its natural progression. They just need to bat; play like they did last night. Bat positively but not recklessly.
"The West Indies wheels fell off somewhat yesterday. It's the morning session when this pitch tends to do a bit more, so there might be a hint of moisture there. They have to strike this morning if they want to get back in this contest."
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Anderson-watch: day four
The celebrations of James Anderson's 100th Test continued yesterday - you can listen to yesterday's lunchtime feature, "The Real Jimmy", on the TMS podcast page - while the England pace spearhead - now only one wicket behind Sir Ian Botham. And the latest praise for him comes from former England all-rounder Ronnie Irani.
He told BBC Radio 2: "Myself, Andrew Flintoff and one or two others were at Adelaide with the academy and there was a young kid there called Jimmy Anderson. I turned to Nasser Hussain and said he had to get this kid in. He is special, and Nasser said 'They are always good when they are not in the team'.
"But Duncan Fletcher took it on board, he made his debut, took Jayasuriya as his first wicket and the rest is history. The legend was born. He's the best we've ever had. If Darren Gough had stayed fully fit he would have broken all records, and there's Bob Willis, who was exceptional, but Jimmy is the best, no doubt about it."
Latest score: IT Botham 383, JM Anderson 382.
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Joel from Luton: Bat till tea. Set the opposition 400+ to win. 4 sessions to tempt the West Indies to go all out for an improbable home win. England to win by tea tomorrow.
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Louis Parry: England need a good start so Stokes and Buttler can attack after lunch, set Windies 450+, game over by lunch tomorrow.
billybunter3rd: Expect Taylor swing ball first session. Need to see off Taylor then expansive batting - don't want to lose 2/3/4 early.
Mike Hoffman: 200 by mid-point of evening session - put the Windies in for 1.5 hours.
Time for Test Match Special to hit the airwaves. They've had some impressive special guests on this week - I wonder if they can top yesterday's visit from the Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, who began by addressing TMS's Caribbean commentary legend Tony Cozier as "Your Excellency"?!
You can listen on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave, and via the BBC Sport website (if you're in the UK - click the audio icon at the top of this page), BBC iPlayer Radio app and BBC Sport app, where you can also sign up for free wicket alerts from your favourite county or international team.
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Richard Jones: Dear Alastair... consider declaring our innings before the lead's 500... we needed 113 overs 1st innings... an hour before tea!
A better over-rate than yesterday might help England too...
Join the debate
So, what should England's target be today, in terms of runs or in terms of time? Should they be considering changes at the top of the order? And most importantly, will the semi-mythical "Seaweed Man" (below) make a reappearance today?
You can email us at tms@bbc.co.uk (with "For Mark Mitchener" in the subject line), text 81111 if you're in the UK, tweet us via #bbccricket or get involved on the BBC Sport Facebook page.
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Boycott off the long run...
You'd never accuse TMS summariser Geoffrey Boycott of not being forthright in his views. He's particularly concerned by the form of the openers - as you can see in this video on the BBC Sport website.
"The biggest issue is the captain's not playing well. He's a fine opening batsman with a terrific record. Andrew Strauss [retiring] has left a gap, but with Cook losing form, it's left two problems. With his captaincy, it's three problems. And I wouldn't have picked Trott."
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Beware the commentator's curse
Meanwhile, I'm sure there are plenty of discussions raging among fans about the future of opening pair Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott, who both failed with the bat again yesterday.
Captain Cook was the victim of a "commentator's curse" from Michael Vaughan on TMS, who had praised his batting just before he was dismissed.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew feels if England can "get through the first hour with no mistakes", a pre-tea declaration can set up a victory chance for the tourists. He also had praise for spinner James Tredwell.
"Tredwell isn't a flashy sort of bowler, but he bowled beautifully. It was a first-class display of old-fashioned off-spin bowling: he tossed the ball up and varied his pace subtly. His dismissal of Shivnarine Chanderpaul was a particularly fine piece of classical spin bowling: setting the batsman up against a cleverly-set field," Aggers writes.
England have been here before - both literally and metaphorically. In 2009, they were in an even more dominant position in the "replacement" Test at the old Antigua Recreation Ground. After three days, they were 312 ahead of West Indies with nine second-innings wickets still standing.
However, the presence of a nightwatchman - controversially sent in late on day three - only served to hold the game up, and the declaration came not long before tea on day four as England set the Windies an imposing 503 to win.
What happened on day five? England ran out of time trying to bowl them out, and the last pair ensured a draw. Looking at the scorecard, it seems unfathomable now that Sulieman Benn was batting as high as nine... Anyway, today's first lesson: do not delay your declaration too long.
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Afternoon, everyone. We're half-an-hour away from the start of day four in Antigua, where England have the chance to turn a strong position into a winning position against an out-of-sorts West Indies side.
England are 116-3 in their second innings - but a first-innings lead of 104 makes them "net" 220-3 in a one-innings match with two full days remaining. Despite a traditional top-order wobble, Gary Ballance (44) and Joe Root (32) have added 64 and are cooking with gas.
A winning position? First - a lesson from history.
Live Reporting
Mark Mitchener and James Gheerbrant
All times stated are UK
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APCopyright: AP - 418-7: West Indies v Australia, St John's, 2003 (below)
- 414-4: South Africa v Australia, Perth, 2008
- 406-4: India v West Indies, Trinidad, 1976
- 404-3: Australia v England, Headingley, 1948
- 387-4: India v England, Chennai, 2008
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Latest PostPost update
Aggers may be off to watch Curtly Ambrose's band in concert elsewhere in Antigua, but it's time for those of you following us in the UK to put on your pyjamas and get a good night's sleep ready for day five.
The maths are simple: a minimum of 90 overs to be bowled. England need eight wickets, West Indies need 340 runs. If neither achieve their goals, it's a draw. Play resumes at 15:00 BST - we'll be here at 14:30 with TMS on air from 14:45.
Sleep tight, and make sure you join us then.
Time to stop play
And special thanks to all of you who have been texting, tweeting and emailing in your bizarre reasons for play being stopped (inspired by Graeme Swann on TMS explaining how barbecue smoke once stopped play in an ODI in South Africa).
We've had (deep breath) stuffed tigers, carrots, tornados, helicopters, planes, automobiles, fires, murders, calamari, Holy Communion, drunken mothers, shootings, Anneka Rice, cows, deer, the Red Arrows, drunken umpires, pedantic umpires, electric fences, naughty boys, dogs, insects, weddings, ducks, Sir Ian Botham, Guinness, Pop Idols, dads, AWOL soldiers, Bobby Charlton, burglars, RAF funerals, royalists, F-16s, wargames, serpents, donkeys, tennis, young offenders and Aberdeen FC stopping play. Thanks for sending us those - and the many others we didn't have time and space to use.
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Stephen, Cumbria: Andrew Samson has coined a new tongue-twister: "It's just Smith's sixth fifty". Try running that past the Barmy Army any time after tea.
Review of the day
Day four began with England on 116-2, leading by 220. England fans were able to enjoy Gary Ballance's fourth Test century, Joe Root's second fifty of the match and a battling unbeaten 59 from Jos Buttler before the declaration came before tea on 333-7, setting West Indies a world record run chase of 438.
They lost Kraigg Brathwaite in the second over, but Devon Smith and Darren Bravo added 83 and were looking in great touch until part-time spinner Root made the breakthrough - with the aid of a stupendous catch from Chris Jordan.
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Toufique Khan: Wish Test cricket were on terrestrial TV. Then I could watch the Jordan catch everyone is raving about.
Max WHUFC Kellar: Chris Jordan could catch a cold in the desert!
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I'm not so sure England will win the game tomorrow. Jimmy Anderson's not really in the game, he's not carrying any real threat, even though he's trying like hell. He doesn't look like getting anybody out, which is a concern for me."
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I think the bowlers have to do it collectively tomorrow. You need to swap the bowlers around, try some funny field placings, not too many boundary fielders unless you're going to bowl for the hook. They'll need to make the West Indian batsmen play shots, because if they keep blocking, it's very difficult to prise them out."
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
What about Chris Jordan's catch?
"It was very good, I've seen a lot of good catches and this was excellent. I don't think it was the best ever, but quality catches win matches. Smith and Bravo played very sensibly, they gave West Indies a chance before the catch. I think England would have wanted three down by the close, but only Broad got that pace and bounce. England have a good-ish chance of winning, but I've seen people bat all day on pitches like this. Me included."
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Colin Reid: The cricket pitches at the Links in Aberdeen were between Aberdeen FC's Pittodrie stadium and the Beach Esplanade where the away football fans' coaches used to be parked. At the end/start of the season when games coincided with a visit from well-supported teams like Rangers, the only thing to do was to stop, pull up the stumps and sit unobtrusively in a corner as a tide of people poured all over the pitch and wicket. Not many of them seemed to be cricket fans!
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Stokes played very sprightly when he came in, and Buttler's innings was very pleasing: he scores very easily, with a wonderful range of shots, timing and power. Broad produced a really lethal bouncer to get the wicket of Brathwaite, with a nice field placing that Cook should take credit for. Broad bowled with more fluency today, which is good for England."
Listen to TMS via the audio icon (available in UK only).
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Will Relf: I've always said England under-use Root's bowling!
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"This was the best cricket day of the whole four. England started off in a slightly better position than West Indies, Root and Ballance played positively, Root looked busy all the time, comfortable, confident and competent. Ballance had an excellent performance, and it's out of the picture for Trott to bat at three in the Test matches."
Review of the day
Time for the Aggers and Boycott show - it'll be available later on the TMS podcast page, where you can already find the lunchtime chat with Chris Woakes, Andrew Flintoff and Sir Curtly Ambrose.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I don't know how you judge the best catch of all time, but I do know that catch from Chris Jordan was right up there."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Post update
Aggers has called Jordan's catch as probably the best he's ever seen. Stand by, TMS listeners - he and Geoffrey Boycott will shortly be reviewing the day.
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More from Gary Ballance, who scored his fourth century in nine Tests: "We've got a new ball just after lunch tomorrow so hopefully we can sneak a few out then and kick on after that."
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Gary Ballance is a class player. I'm more comfortable watching him in Test whites. Since the minute that he arrived in Test match cricket, he's come out of the blocks like a trooper. He's coped with pressure really well, and I'd expect him now to have an absolute belter of a series."
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England batsman Gary Ballance, who made 122: "It would have been nice to get one or two more, but overall we couldn't be happier.
"It's been a tough winter, so it's nice to score a hundred in the first Test match back in quite a tough situation. It probably looked quite scratchy but I don't mind about that. To score runs when the team needs it is great."
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Tim Carlisle: Re Adam in Leicester (20:56). 75% deserve criticism? Ballance, Buttler, Tredwell, Stokes, Jordan all new. Root has performed.
Champagne moment
Innings of the day? Gary Ballance's century. Champagne moment? Unquestionably Chris Jordan's catch. Try to see it at full speed, rather than slow motion, if you can.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I'm really impressed with the way the West Indies have batted. It's been a very good innings from Devon Smith. England tried everything, but the pitch is flat and the ball isn't swinging. I think spin will have a big part to play, and the seamers will have to keep plugging away, bowling cutters and bouncers. It will be an interesting last day, and the West Indies have a great chance."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Close of play
WI 98-2
Stuart Broad to finish the day. Two slips, fourth slip (too close to be called gully), short leg and a leg gully for Samuels, who looks happy to get off strike with a single. Smith has nothing to do with a couple of bouncers, pats the last ball of the day back with a textbook forward defensive and that, as they say, is that.
On the final day, England will need eight wickets to win (West Indies needing 340 runs) from a minimum of 90 overs.
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Tom: Brilliant spell of right-arm terror from Joe Root!
David: Root and Rashid, that's the future of English spin. Not Tredwell and Ali.
WI 97-2 (target 438)
It looks like those on Anderson-watch may have to wait another day for The Record as Joe Root is going to finish up from the Roberts End. Cook crowds Smith with four close fielders, but the Grenada left-hander survives and Root takes his cap with figures of 4-3-4-1. Very acceptable. Last over coming up.
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Elliott Bewley: I reckon Jordan has been taking lessons from Mr Miyagi, making catches like that. Flies with chopsticks, no problem.
Matthew Rowell: I think Joe Root should have been at the election debate tonight. What can't he do?
WI 97-2 (two overs left tonight)
Samuels pushes Broad for a single to get off the mark. A short leg comes in for Smith (Gary Ballance having donned the helmet) with square leg, fine leg and third man back, as well as Anderson three-quarters of the way back at mid-wicket for the miscue. Smith takes on the short ball... but keeps it down and runs a single to fine leg.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"If West Indies get through to the close only two down, they've got a great chance of getting out of this game. The way that England will take wickets is to leave gaps and encourage the drive."
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Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Devon Smith's 58 is his highest score in 40 Test innings, since he made 88 against Australia in Brisbane in 2005."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 95-2 (Smith 58*, Samuels 0*)
We nearly have a repeat of Jordan's astonishing catch as Smith edges Root between the keeper and slip for four, sadly for Jordan lightning does not strike twice and he can't quite get his hand across. Goldenarm Root is quickly through his over, and we're into overtime but won't need much more - only three more overs to be bowled.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"The wicket of Bravo was the first ball that England brought cover up on the one, and that forced the drive."
Post update
Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I think this is still a great opportunity for the West Indies batsmen. There isn't any real devil in this wicket, it's all about your concentration level."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 91-2 (target 438)
Alastair Cook takes his cap off, surely he's not going to bowl? Thankfully not - England turn back to Stuart Broad as with a foot in the door, they aim to kick it open. There's a very odd field for Smith (some would say funky) - no conventional slips, but a gully, and three catching men in a ring between silly mid-off and short/silly cover point, as well as a short mid-wicket. A more orthodox field is posted for the right-handed Samuels, who has to rear away from a hostile bouncer. Umpire Bowden, however, is mildly concerned about where Broad is following though on the pitch.
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Richard Jude: That is a stonking catch by Chris Jordan! One where you let out an involuntary yelp of delight.
Amir Chughtai: Arise Sir Chris Jordan.
Ian Bradley: Another blinding catch by Jordan but little mention of how much Root got that delivery to turn, went miles.
WI 90-2 (Root 2-2-0-1)
Marlon Samuels is the new batsman as that 83-run stand comes to an end. Two maidens and one wicket from young Root.
Post update
Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"What an absolutely stunning catch. That was better than his first innings catch, that's an absolute screamer. He flung himself to his right, that's 10 out of 10, you won't see better than that. The slow-motion replay doesn't do justice to it, you need to see that at full speed."
WICKET
Bravo c Jordan b Root 32 (WI 90-2)
What a catch! WHAT A CATCH! Bravo goes! A sensational one-handed slip catch from Chris Jordan as Bravo drives, Jordan leaps to his right from a wideish position at first slip and plucks a one-handed beauty out of the air. Absolutely sensational.
Chris Jordan, take a big bow. (And Joe Root, the golden-haired, golden-armed partnership-breaker as I called him a few minutes ago, take a modest bow too).
Scorecard
Post update
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"It's just Smith's sixth fifty, to go with one hundred, in 37 Tests."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Post update
Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"He's battled away after losing his opening partner in the second over. He and Bravo have denied England for 31 overs. Of Smith can convert it into a hundred tomorrow, he'll have England sweating."
50 for Smith
WI 90-1
Smith, who's been stuck in the 40s longer than a BBC2 repeat run of Dad's Army, finally reaches his sixth Test fifty from 111 balls by forcing Tredwell for four through backward point. With only one Test hundred to his name in a 12-year international career, can he make sure he's still there tomorrow morning?
Post update
Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
"There are times when you can lure batters into a false sense of security, give them something that they feel like hitting. You don't always have to plan folks out."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 86-1 (target 438)
Joe Root - England's golden-haired, golden-armed partnership-breaker? He may just be happy to get the bat-pad helmet off, but it's time for him to bowl some off-spin. No breakthrough yet as Bravo defends stoutly, but with Root and Tredwell on, it'll do wonders for the over-rate. Seven more due tonight.
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John Kershaw: Old fashioned gritty Test cricket this. Not an advert for the game but if you love cricket you'll appreciate the cat and mouse.
WI 86-1 (Tredwell 10-6-10-0)
Tredwell is quickly through his 10th over, Smith doesn't even offer a shot to a couple of deliveries outside off stump. Maiden.
Post update
Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
"This is a remarkable recovery. I'm hoping that's not the commentator's curse. When England made that declaration and got that early wicket, they would have been on a high, but these two have consolidated well and look up for the fight."
WI 86-1 (Smith 49*, Bravo 32*)
Smith, on 48, faces Stokes, who is getting advice from senior bowlers Anderson and Broad at mid-off and mid-on between deliveries. We think Jimmy might get one more spell before the close, for those of you still hanging on tenterhooks for The Record. Smith is in no hurry for his fifty, languidly tapping a single off his legs - his 49 has taken 100 balls.
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Jimmy Dalton: West Indies could win from here... Especially as they still have the Crab to come...
WI 85-1 (target 438)
Bravo puts a dent in Tredwell's figures by smacking a four over the covers. If there are any wildly optimistic Windies fans out there, your side only needs 353 more.
Young offenders stop play
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Ian in PA, USA: Once we were playing the local boys reform school game in Staffs. They batted, we were chasing the total down easily, when two boys 'did a runner'. The two umpires were staff, so they disappeared to give chase. Game over!
WI 81-1 (11 overs left tonight)
The floodlights are on, and with Tredwell bowling, shock horror - we shouldn't need all of the extra 30 minutes to bowl the 90 overs today. Unfortunately for England, the chances of them claiming another *extra* half-hour (on the grounds they had a realistic chance of finishing the game tonight) are receding very quickly. West Indies steer Stokes for a couple of singles, and Smith is two short of a deserved fifty.
Post update
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"That was better from Tredwell - I like that, bringing the man in front of the bat at short cover. Suddenly Bravo is aware of not giving a bat-pad catch. But Tredwell doesn't need the deep cover - it's a waste of a fielder."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 79-1 (Tredwell 8-5-6-0)
Swanny's calls for more attack have been heeded as Joe Root moves from mid-wicket to silly point, but he's not happy there's a cover sweeper out. Another probing maiden over from Tredwell to Bravo - five of his eight overs have been maidens, he's certainly tying up an end. But England need wickets.
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Peter: Imagine the comments previous years' Tests would have drawn on this page. 1981 would have seen a world shortage of humble pie.
WI 79-1 (target 438)
Stuck on 77 for a little while, West Indies finally move on as Smith, on 46, keeps finding the fielders and eventually can only take a single to fine leg. Stokes doesn't seem to be bowling with quite the fire he found in the first innings. Bravo moves to 27 with a single.
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Stuart Field: Time for Root or Trott to bowl a couple of overs, change it up a bit maybe?
WI 77-1 (Tredwell 7-4-6-0)
Agony for England! Bravo goes to cut Tredwell and is a fraction away from chopping onto his stumps. Just when this match was starting to drift, the way it drifted around this time yesterday when England were batting, they have a glimmer. Graeme Swann on TMS is urging England to attack more.
Fires stop play
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Trevor in Warminster: I was involved in 'retained' vs 'wholetime' 20-over beer match when serving in Wiltshire Fire Brigade when the match was stopped because most of the retained fielding side's alerters went off and they disappeared to respond to a fire call in Stratton St Margaret, near Swindon. We repaired to the bar and called the match an honourable draw.
John Frankland: Once playing in Horwich when all of a sudden smoke started coming out of one of our batter's pads. As the last play had been given out he thought he'd thrown his cigarette away alas it had gone down his pad! 'Charlie you're on fire' was the cry.
Scorecard update
West Indies 77-1 (25 overs) - target 438
Batsmen: Smith 46*, Bravo 26*
Fall of wickets: 7-1 (Brathwaite 5)
Bowling figures: Anderson 7-0-26-0, Broad 6-1-23-1, Tredwell 6-3-6-0, Jordan 4-1-16-0, Stokes 2-0-6-0
England 399 & 333-7 dec: Ballance 122, Root 59, Buttler 59*
West Indies 295
Full scorecard
WI 77-1 (Smith 46*, Bravo 26*)
Stokes has two men out on the hook, will he try some short balls at Smith or double-bluff him? Smith whips a two along the ground to deep mid-wicket to move to 46 as Stokes raises his hands to his face in frustration.
Tennis stops play
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Tom Metcalf: During the 2013 Wimbledon final our village match in south Oxfordshire ground to a halt as players and spectators alike gathered round a radio on the boundary to hear Andy Murray triumph over Novak Djokovic.
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"England have got their work cut out to weedle out these nine wickets."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 75-1 (target 438)
With the players refreshed, Tredwell has had a change of ends - and the off side is packed for the two left-handers, but although this is a fourth innings pitch, there aren't many footmarks opening up for him to bowl at, coming round the wicket to Bravo. Maiden.
Donkey stops play
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Ian in Leeds: As a youngster, I was batting for Dunchurch Cricket Club under-15s against Oakfield at their ground at the Sheaf and Sickle pub in Long Lawford. They had a donkey which pulled the roller. It slipped its teather and made its way onto the nearby road. The match was stopped while all the players chased the donkey up the road to catch it. You can imagine the look on the faces of those in passing cars as a donkey pursued by 15 young lads dressed in cricket whites chased a donkey up the road.
What's gone wrong with West Indies cricket?
Once the greatest Test side in the world, West Indies' appetite for the longest form of the game has dipped alarmingly in recent years.
In October 2014, the West Indies Cricket Board abandoned a tour of India after a dispute with players over pay, leaving the Board of Control for Cricket in India demanding $42m (£26.2m) in compensation.
BBC Sport's Joe Wilson talks to legends of West Indies cricket Sir Viv Richards and Sir Curtly Ambrose to uncover what is behind the decline of the game in the Caribbean.
Watch the video here.
Drinks break
WI 75-1 (17 overs left today)
Captain Cook shuffles his bowlers - Tredwell gets the hook after two overs and Ben Stokes gets his first spell of the innings. Smith has a look at a couple, then unleashes another flashing cut shot for four.
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Gareth Johnson: About time they stopped pussyfooting around and played the rest of the @Yorkshireccc team out there...
WI 71-1 (target 438)
Broad charges in from the Ambrose End, there's a catcher at short mid-off but Smith and Bravo manage to pick off three singles.
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Darren in Manchester: Is Darren Bravo the only current Test number three who uses an unmarked bat?
WI 68-1
Tredwell, an earnest toiler if ever there was one, will wheel away from one end here, changing his flight and angle of attack and whistling through a two-minute maiden over to Bravo.
Post update
Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"The way the first wicket fell - fended off the short leg - you wondered how up for this West Indies were. But they are making a fight of it."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 68-1 (Smith 37*, Bravo 26*)
England coach Peter Moores is hunched over a laptop - if he looks at the data, he'll see that England could do with a couple of wickets before the close in the remaining 21 overs if they're to sleep a little more soundly tonight. The ball is nearly 20 overs old, but it's not offering England much movement - Smith unleashes a flamboyant cut shot down to third man for four.
Planes and automobiles stop play
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John Macdonald: In the 1960s and 70s, RAF Gan was a staging post on a very small Island in the Maldives. The sports field was on the edge of the runway. So when an aircraft approached, air traffic sent a Land Rover to stop play. The rugby players had to dismantle the posts but the cricketers only had to draw stumps!
Gordon Williams: I was playing for my school cricket team back in the seventies in the middle of Wolverhampton race coarse. A brand new Jaguar car came across the coarse onto the pitch and parked behind the wicketkeeper. Out pops my uncle saying, "What time you finishing, Gord? We can go for a spin.".
WI 63-1 (target 438)
Jordan is off after four unthreatening overs and James Tredwell returns, skipping in to bowl his off-spin round the wicket to the two left-handers. At the cost of one single.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"This is quite a dangerous period for Devon Smith. He's got to 30s or 40s often in is Test career, and at this point he often loses concentration and starts playing lots of big shots. He goes from third gear to sixth, which could create that opportunity that England are desperate for."
Text 81111
Adam in Leicester: The fact there are people texting in wondering how players cope with all this negativity is beyond comprehension. Have these people been living under a rock for 18 months? Or are they just master zen Buddhists? 75% of this current side deserve every single line of criticism they have received since the start of the last Ashes.
WI 62-1 (Smith 33*, Bravo 24*)
The Seaweed Man is still lurking ominously - West Indies might ask him to strap the pads on as nightwatchman - as Smith brings up the fifty partnership by pulling Broad through mid-wicket for four. For a man who averages under 25 in 36 previous Tests stretching back 12 years, he's been pretty sound in this innings. Meanwhile, umpire Bowden seems wise to England's plan of trying to get the ball to reverse, having a word with Broad for throwing it at the stumps via the pitch.
How's stat?!
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"If Stuart Broad gets a wicket in his first three overs, his overall bowling average is 19. If he doesn't get a wicket in his first three overs, his average is 35.5."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Andrew Morris: Bold prediction: tomorrow we'll see history made. 1) Jimmy taking 2+ wickets 2) WI chasing down world-record 438 for a trifecta.
WI 56-1 (target 438)
Jordan to continue at the Roberts End, not much movement for the Sussex right-arm seamer, but Bravo is momentarily discomforted as he tries to force the ball towards mid-on and it squirms off an edge towards gully. He adds a couple of twos to his score - Jordan has 0-16 from four.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Stuart Broad will probably bowl a few cutters and then a real short, sharp bouncer. The lack of swing has been really surprising, because the new ball has swung consistently for the first 10 overs throughout this match."
WI 52-1
Those of you on Anderson-watch can stand down for a while - he takes a breather and Stuart Broad returns for only his third over, despite having taken a wicket in his first. He goes round the wicket to the two Windies left-handers, but Bravo brings up the fifty with a good-looking cover drive. Always one of the most aesthetically pleasing shots around.
Join the debate at #bbccricket
EJD Green: Now following online after pub customer asked for TV switch to Kiev-Fiorentina game.
J: I've listened to hours of this test match and haven't heard a single West Indies wicket. I'm going to switch off nine times.
Post update
Tony Cozier
BBC Test Match Special
"One problem for West Indies has been the late order. Over the years, the last three wickets have practically been a hat-trick."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Scorecard update
West Indies 47-1 (15 overs) - target 438
Batsmen: Smith 27*, Bravo 15*
Fall of wickets: 7-1 (Brathwaite 5)
Bowling figures: Anderson 7-0-26-0, Broad 2-1-4-1, Tredwell 3-1-5-0, Jordan 3-0-12-0
England 399 & 333-7 dec: Ballance 122, Root 59, Buttler 59*
West Indies 295
Full scorecard
WI 47-1 (Smith 27*, Bravo 15*)
The England fans on the grassy terraces of the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium are having a good time, though some of them will be dashing back to their hotel bathrooms this evening to break out the after sun lotion - they're turning decidedly pink.
A tighter over from Jordan - a maiden, in fact. If you're just joining us, to save the game, West Indies have to bat another 25 overs tonight, then a minimum of 90 tomorrow.
Serpent stops play
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Tim Lacey in Dubai: I was watching a game in Colombo once. There had been a pitch invasion by rather a large snake and the players had become involved in helping the invader back to the safety of the undergrowth. After the slithery invader was seen off, play resumed and I watched exactly one over of cricket before the heavens opened and play was abandoned. As we stood getting soaked, someone commented that the snake must be having the last laugh!
WI 47-1 (target 438)
No Broad - Anderson to continue. But life's still a beach for Smith as he guides a four past the wider of the two gullies, and a seemingly gentle push through the covers brings him three. Anderson raises his eyes to the heavens as though he's a rookie looking for his first Test scalp, not a veteran with 382 victims to his name. Two short legs are summoned for Bravo, but Anderson foxes him with a full delivery which strikes his pad, there's an appeal - but it pitched outside leg.
Wargames stop play
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Mark Walker: Many years ago my then team's pitch doubled up as a helicopter landing area. One afternoon imagine our consternation when we all trotted out in our whites ready to play, only to find a huge chinook helicopter there instead, doors open and with heavily-armed fierce-looking servicemen arrayed about. A particularly shady military unit had arranged an exercise but, in maintaining their secrecy and security as they have to do, they had obviously neglected to tell us. It's hard to bat, bowl and field with a helo before wicket!
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I can see what England are trying to do to Devon Smith: they are trying to bowl dead straight, because he struggles against the straight ball. But the ball isn't swinging conventionally."
WI 40-1 (Smith 20*, Bravo 15*)
Jordan hasn't looked too threatening so far, Smith turns him off his toes through mid-wicket for four and the Windies fans have noticeably cranked up the volume since tea - surely they can't be thinking of an improbable victory? The increasingly assured Smith - whose statistics don't seem to match his careful technique - is taking runs at will here, adding a two and a three. This stand is worth 33. Time for Broad?
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I think England need to have West Indies three down tonight. I'd be comfortable with only needing seven tomorrow. But if West Indies can keep wickets in hand this evening, it just gives them a glimmer of hope."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Ian Dobson: Why, after eight Tests, three tons and three fifties, was Gary Ballance even under scrutiny in the Test arena? It's absolutely mental.
Mix It N Fix It Man: Root has been the only player over last four days to get no criticism. How do players manage incessant negativity?
WI 31-1 (Anderson 6-0-19-0)
A frustrating spell for Anderson continues, and as Geoffrey suggests, England have to be ruthless here and keep probing for wickets - they have enough runs to play with. Bravo helps a two through square leg.
Post update
Tony Cozier
BBC Test Match Special
"The declaration has left West Indies with an almost impossible challenge to win the game. The only question is whether they can bat through."
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I'd be saying to Jimmy Anderson, 'I need a wicket or I'm going to bowl Broad.' You can't worry about him getting the record - he'll have to take his chances when he bowls."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 29-1
In fact, Jordan comes on at Tredwell's end (or rather the Sir Andy Roberts End), Bravo shows the full face and knocks a three to long-off. The atmosphere is a little subdued compared to when Jordan and Buttler were crashing it around at the end of the England innings.
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Mark Chapman: Windies four down at the close should see it done - although if the Crab is still in anything is possible!
Steve Cook: Why don't batsmen looking to save a Test duck under everything over shoulder height?
WI 26-1 (target 438)
Smith clips Anderson for a two off his legs, prompting Cook to withdraw the short leg to square leg. Chris Jordan is having a loosen up at gully, a sign he may be asked to bowl soon. Anderson looks frustrated as he beats the bat once or twice.
Post update
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Only three specialist batsmen in Test history have had longer careers than Devon Smith averaging less than 25: Bangladesh's Mohammed Ashraful and Javed Omar, and England's Mike Brearley."
Smith averages 24.54 from 37 matches.
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Sometimes batsmen start their Test careers badly but go on to be wonderful players. Graham Gooch got three noughts, Len Hutton got nought in his first innings."
Ed Smith adds: "Sri Lanka's Marvan Attapatu began his career with five noughts in his first six innings."
WI 24-1 (Smith 9*, Bravo 10*)
Tredwell has a slip and two helmeted men at short leg and silly point, but Smith breaks the shackles as he drills a three to the long boundary at extra cover. 31 more overs for West Indies to bat today (with, if you're a really optimistic England fan, a potential extra half-hour to be claimed).
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Tom, NJ: The woodwork must be a crowded place right now with all of the "drop Ballance" commenters crawling back in...
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"The England bowling unit is a terrific fielding quartet. Anderson is superb, Stokes is one of the best fielders in the side, Jordan is a excellent fielder, and Broad is a pretty good outfielder for a bowler."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 21-1 (target 438)
Smith looks happy to get off strike with a single, while Bravo steers a two through the covers. A funked-up version of "Rally Round The West Indies" is played between overs, they certainly need to rally in this game.
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HH Rawlins: What's the deal with all these cross-armed bowlers? There are five bowlers in the current England side, all right-arm, but only one of them bats right-handed. Is this a modern phenomenon or has it always been like that and I just hadn't noticed?
WI 18-1
Big appeal for lbw against Smith, is that the record-equaller for Anderson? The umpire shakes his head, England opt against a review, it looked a little high...
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Devon Smith is one of these players who looks all right, but just doesn't get enough runs. You can't win Test matches with batsmen who only average 24."
WI 17-1 (33 overs left today)
With off-spin supposedly Devon Smith's personal Kryptonite, it's James Tredwell to continue, and Smith guides a two.
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Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Devon Smith averaged 5.8 in Test cricket against Graeme Swann, and against all off-spinners he averages 8.3."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Text 81111
An Aussie in Wales: Is anything more fickle than an English cricket supporter?
WI 15-1 (target 438)
Anderson, one wicket short of equalling Sir Ian Botham's record let's not forget, finds the edge but fortune favours Bravo as he nicks it just wide of Chris Jordan at gully for four. Reprieved, he threads a two through extra cover.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"He's got the mind for it, and a better technique about playing the quicks. Apaart from Jerome Taylor, the quicks here won't trouble you. Australia will. Ballance does sit on the back foot and then come forward, so he's better than Trott who has got out twice on the walk. Get some money on, Jonathan - KP and Cook opening against Australia!"
Post update
Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"If they don't solve the problem, they'll have a real problem going into the Ashes. It's a personal view, but I don't see Jonathan Trott opening against Australia at Cardiff. So because of Cook's form, they could get Lyth in now."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Post update
Thanks, James. That pre-tea Tredwell over has allowed James Anderson to have a change of ends, he will open proceedings again at the Sir Curtly Ambrose End.
Post update
Time for me to hand you back to Mark Mitchener, who will take you through to the close...
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"They made the decision to keep Ballance at three and get Trott back into the team by making him open - it's backfired. So now, you either carry on with Trott, and Lyth doesn't have a go, or you have to find an opener. Trott's not an opener. I've solved the problem - the openers against New Zealand will be Adam Lyth and KP!"
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Howard Horner: I criticised Broad earlier this Test match. I would just like to apologise! He looks back near to his best.
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"The great players and teams in any sport have a confidence and arrogance about them. You've got to move around as if they want to win the game. You should easily get 15 overs in per hour. Show you mean business - and that has to come from the captain and the coach."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
F-16 stops play
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EL in Sunderland: Back in the mid 90s, I was batting for Whitburn CC against Eppleton CC in a Durham Senior League fixture at Whitburn, which is on the coast between Sunderland and South Shields. I was at the non-striker's end when I noticed a small dot in the distance above the trees. It rapidly became a larger dot which even more rapidly turned into a Dutch Air Force F-16 which thundered over the ground at treetop height on its way to the annual Sunderland airshow. Players and spectators ducked and scattered everywhere and it took a fair few minutes before play could resume. The best part was the look on the opposition professional's face - a certain Jimmy Adams, who at the time was on the verge of becoming West Indies captain. Bet that never happened at Lord's...
Post update
Was the World Cup as much of a shambles as it appeared?
More from Alex Hales on TMS: "Ultimately, we're judged on performances and results. We're not hiding from the fact we're a bit embarrassed about what happened. But there are some talented young players around and this summer is a great chance to impress against two of the best sides in the world in New Zealand and Australia. We've learnt from the World Cup, hopefully we can get rid of that fear of failure."
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Where is English cricket at now?
More from Alex Hales on TMS: "It's a rebuilding phase for us in limited-overs cricket, but we're number three in the world in Test cricket, and there's enough young talent around to lift us in limited-overs. The Ashes will be very closely contested, I think it will be a very close series and I know we'd like to put one over on New Zealand."
Post update
Nottinghamshire and England batsman Alex Hales on TMS: "We've got one of the most talented squads in the country, certainly one of the best Notts squads I've been involved in. I've played in the Big Bash and watched the IPL so it'd be good if something like [an English Premier League] comes in."
Post update
BBC Radio Test Match Special
England limited-overs opener Alex Hales is talking to Test Match Special during the tea-break...
Tea scorecard
West Indies 9-1 (5 overs) - target 438
Batsmen: Smith 4*, Bravo 1*
Fall of wickets: 7-1 (Brathwaite 5)
Bowling figures: Anderson 2-0-5-0, Broad 2-1-4-1, Tredwell 1-1-0-0
England 399 & 333-7 dec: Ballance 122, Root 59, Buttler 59*
West Indies 295
Full scorecard
Post update
An almost perfect session for England. They built a healthy, surely impregnable lead courtesy of a fourth Test century from the back-in-form Gary Ballance and 59 rapid runs from Jos Buttler.
A nicely timed declaration from Alastair Cook allowed them a few overs at the West Indies before the interval, and Stuart Broad duly obliged with an absolute snorter to get rid of the doughty Kraigg Brathwaite. 10 out of 10?
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Kraigg Brathwaite looks an awkward player to dismiss, so it's been a perfect day so far for England. Let's see if West Indies can have a bit of fight against them, and get to the close with plenty in the tank."
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Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"A good session from England, they've got the runs on the board and removed the dogged Brathwaite."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Tea interval
WI 9-1
Time for Tredders! England's new spin king is going to get an over before tea. A slip, a leg slip and a short leg crowd the batsman. Ows and oohs of thwarted jubilation as Tredwell defeats Devon Smith's outside edge with a pearler. Smith just about survives the Kentish inquistion, and it's time for tea.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"This is good from Cook, bringing Tredwell on - Devon Smith has had so many problems against off-spin, England even opened with Graeme Swann against him at Lord's in May once."
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Former England all-rounder Derek Pringle: Bowlers like Harmison & Flintoff were on fewer batsmen's Xmas card lists but Anderson has been the most skilful England bowler of his era.
WI 9-1
Darren Bravo is a terrific player to watch: high, Lara-esque backlift, all the shots, so much time. But this is all about survival, not artistry, and Stuart Broad is bowling really well at the moment - he pins the Trinidadian on the shoulder with a really sharp bouncer.
How's stat?!
Only four teams have scored more than 400 in the fourth innings to win a Test, with West Indies' 418-7 to beat Australia in Antigua in 2003. The top five is:
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Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Antigua's the only region of the West Indies where England have never won a Test, in eight attempts."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WI 9-1 (Smith 4*, Bravo 1*)
Anderson steaming in in search of his 382nd Test wicket, a coiled spring of lithe, sinuous menace. Three slips and a gully waiting hungrily in the cordon. Bravo gets off the mark with a push in to the leg side.
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Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"Broad's one of those bowlers where if he doesn't get a wicket for four or five overs, he can get frustrated. But if he strikes early, he has a chance of getting a couple more. He was pointing up at [bowling coach] Ottis Gibson on the balcony as if to say 'well done on the plan for having a short leg'. You've not been listening to us up here, Broady - we've been saying it for about five years."
WI 7-1 (target 438)
Darren Bravo is the new man. A hard job just got harder for West Indies.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"Great direction, good pace, right into the armpit - the short leg fielder was a few yards behind square, but he was there for exactly that shot. Great execution. On slow wickets, the short ball can be the most difficult to deal with."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WICKET
Brathwaite c Root b Broad 5 (WI 7-1)
I love it when a plan comes together! Alastair Cook sticks Joe Root in under the helmet at short leg, and that means only one thing: Operation Short Ball. And it pays dividends fifth ball when Broad gets one to rear off a length right at Brathwaite's helmet, and the batsman can only spoon it off the splice. Root collects it as casually as a man picking a ripe peach off a low-hanging branch.
Scorecard
Join the debate at #bbccricket
MGWEvans: 438 to win? That's almost an aggressive declaration, by Cook's standards...
Tony: I know 437 is pretty daunting but I always wonder if you get more psychological edge declaring NOT on a wicket.
Andrew Collon: Good to see the usual squawking about declarations from the #bbccricket armchair captains - an integral part of an English summer.
WI 3-0
Anderson has chosen to bowl from the other end than he did in the first innings. Kraigg Brathwaite, who looked really redoubtable in the first innings, is off the mark with a single tucked away square on the leg side. Only 437 to go, chaps! Devon Smith opens his account with a couple through much the same region.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I'm going to make you grumpy straight away, Aggers. West Indies need 438 and England have three slips but no short leg."
Post update
So, England trot back out to the middle, sniffing for wickets before the tea interval. Jimmy Anderson has the ball, and if you were at all tempted to think this is a done deal, I'm hearing that there are showers forecast for tomorrow...
In defence of Cook
Text 81111
Andrew, London: No Duncan in Richmond (19:01), you miss the point. Bat on, humiliate them and break their spirit for the entire series.
Dave, Leyton: I think Cook didn't declare because he has total faith in his bowlers. He had about half an hour, in which both [players] on the crease started to try and hit big. Nothing wrong with that. Total confidence in his captaincy - he just needs to find confidence in his batting again.
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David Neill: Buttler entertaining, Root class and hopefully Ballance has silenced some doubters. Time for Jimmy to get that record.
David (another one): Don't watch much cricket but if England's openers actually performed, they would be a huge force in the game.
Peter Jarvis: Ballance played very responsibly in the anchor role - KP can't do that and that's why Ballance is in the team and KP isn't.
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Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It won't be a walkover, as West Indies have some resilient players - Brathwaite, Bravo and Chanderpaul will be key. But I don't think they can get the runs. Can they play out 130 overs? Potentially - if Chanderpaul can bat up to 100 overs. I'm sure they're trying, but they don't look like they're committed, the body language was droopy."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
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Tony Cozier
BBC Test Match Special
"West Indies did score 418 to win that time in Antigua in 418, but that was at the Recreation Ground where many batting records have fallen."
Royalist stops play
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Jason in Cumbria: On 6 September 1997 our match at St Bees v Whitehaven 3rds was briefly interrupted by a "radgie royalist" who was disgusted that we were not busy paying our respects to the late Princess Diana. He stormed onto the pitch with a camcorder to capture the faces of the offending players only to be swiftly rebutted by our opening bowler's bare backside!
End-of-innings scorecard
West Indies need 438 to win
England 333-7 dec (86 overs)
Ballance 122, Root 59, Buttler 59*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11), 166-4 (Root 59), 226-5 (Stokes 35), 281-6 (Ballance 122), 333-7 (Jordan 13)
Bowling figures: Taylor 14-5-42-2, Roach 14-1-53-1, Holder 17-5-63-1, Benn 26-3-115-2, Samuels 15-0-53-0
First innings: England 399; West Indies 295
Full scorecard
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Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
"It's happening over and over again with West Indies. Nobody is standing up to be counted for them."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
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Tony Cozier
BBC Test Match Special
"The difference between the two teams in the field, all day, doesn't suggest West Indies will be able to survive the amount of time they've been asked to."
England have declared
Eng 333-7 dec
Alastair Cook calls his troops in, with the lead looking healthy enough to prevent any thoughts of a successful West Indies chase. And it looks like England will have time for a brief fusillade at the West Indies openers before tea...
WICKET
Jordan c Bravo b Roach 13 (Eng 333-7)
Jordan holes out to the man on the fence at mid-wicket. And...
Scorecard
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Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
"No fielding team loves this situation. It's been taken out of your hands - it hurts, and I know it's hurting the Windies boys now."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
When to declare?
Text 81111
Duncan, Richmond: I'm sorry but if Cook thinks England can't defend 410 then he's not fit to be captain... and there's already serious questions there... weak, weak, weak! Declare!
Eng 327-6 (lead by 431)
An eventful over ends. West Indies are toiling now, just waiting to be put out of their misery.
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Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"The ball went for four, but the umpire has forgotten to signal the four leg byes, or four runs - which may confuse the scorers for a while."
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"West Indies will be happy with the time being wasted here. It's probably why Ramdin used that review for the previous one."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Not out
That's a shocker from the umpire. The ball was heading so far down leg that it didn't even pitch in line. Buttler survives again.
Umpire review
Although perhaps not for long. Holder thinks he's got Buttler lbw, and this time Steve Davis agrees. But Buttler has reviewed it...
Not out
Missed it by a couple of furlongs. On we go...
Umpire review
Jason Holder follows Jos Buttler as he backs away to leg, Buttler swings, and West Indies appeal for a caught behind. We're going to have a look...
Post update
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"It would now have to be a world record if West Indies were to win."
The highest successful Test fourth-innings chase was 418-7 by West Indies against Australia at the Antigua Recreation Ground in 2003.
RAF funeral stops play
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Peter Henderson: We had arranged a friendly at RAF Lyneham. They were engine testing Hercules aircraft so it wasn't exactly idyllic but we got our innings over and lunch was taken. An officer then came over to stop the game as a senior officer's funeral was going to pass right by the pitch and us playing cricket wasn't appropriate. Negotiations took place and after a delay the other side batted on a completely different and inferior ground at the other side of the airfield! Has any other match involved the two sides batting on such different surfaces?
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Edward Barron: 400 in first innings with a lower order collapse. 300 with four wickets in hand. Imagine if we had functioning openers! Formidable.
Clive Woodbridge: Surely KP would now have to come back as an opener?
50 for Buttler
Eng 321-6
Benn continues after drinks. I can only assume that Jerome Taylor must be as fragile as a Ming vase, as he's barely been seen today despite being by far West Indies' most threatening seamer. Jos Buttler moves to his third Test fifty with a big six over cow corner and a loopy single to backward point. Not to be outdone, Jordan gets in on the act with a meaty swing into the stands at long on. England are motoring, West Indies broken down on the hard shoulder.
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Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
If you were Alastair Cook, what figure would you think would be out of reach for West Indies?
"450. I'll put my faith on 450, the wicket ain't getting any better. It would be a tough proposition."
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Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I like to think the fielder heard the no-ball call there, as otherwise it was one of the worst drops in the history of Test cricket."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Drinks break
Eng 306-6 (Buttler 43*, Jordan 3*)
The tension has gone out this game with alarming suddenness, like air hissing out of a punctured lilo. The strangely bathetic atmosphere is rather summed up when Holder oversteps, Buttler skies it in the air and Devon Smith, unaware of the no-ball, lets the catch straight through his hands. Jordan's off the mark with a pull to mid-wicket, and it's time for drinks.
Scorecard update
England 299-6 (82 overs) - lead by 403 runs
Batsmen: Buttler 40*, Jordan 0*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11), 166-4 (Root 59), 226-5 (Stokes 35), 281-6 (Ballance 122)
Bowling figures: Taylor 14-5-42-2, Roach 13-1-47-0, Holder 15-5-50-1, Benn 25-3-100-2, Samuels 15-0-53-0
First innings: England 399; West Indies 295
Full scorecard
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"To be able to just play bowling around easily is a rare quality. Buttler has orthodox cricket shots, just like Maxwell for Australia, so they're very difficult to bowl at."
When to declare?
Join the debate at #bbccricket
Anthony Donegan: England looking to set West Indies a very teasingly gettable 800 runs on the last day...
Jon Dunn: England have got to think about what the opposition would least like to do - and that's to have 2-3 overs before tea.
Eng 299-6
Jos Buttler is on the charge here - he tiptoes down the track and carts Sulieman Benn over the rope at cow corner with immaculate timing, clean as a whistle. After a very uncharacteristic 22-ball duck in the first innings, he has a much more Buttler-esque 40 off 42 balls.
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Chris Parker: Bell 100, Ballance 100, Root two 50s; and we apparently need KP in this middle order?
Kirstie: Why are they flying Moeen Ali out there when there's already good players NOT playing?
Eng 292-5 (Buttler 33*, Jordan 0*)
Amid that excitement, I forgot to tell you that Chris Jordan has arrived at the crease. Welcome Chris. Buttler keeps him off strike for the time being.
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Evan Byrne: Sometime prior to lunch on day one, you posted a message from someone opining that the top three in England's batting line up needed to be jettisoned because they were clearly not good enough. Gary Ballance was mentioned by name. Given that he averaged 60.75 in Test cricket at number three before this match, and has responded well enough to his low first innings score, I would invite whoever sent the message to re-assert that Ballance needs to be replaced. (I assume that the replacement would be a certain Surrey player, who averaged 37.8 in his last eight Tests, to Ballance's 60.75...) One score of 10 does not a poor batsman make, otherwise we would now have to drop Ian Bell...
Eng 289-6
Who says Sulieman Benn doesn't have any variations in his locker - he reaches into his box of tricks and pulls out a chest-high beamer. Buttler swats it away to the third man boundary with the nonchalance of a man shooing away an unexpectedly low-flying pigeon.
Post update
Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"There are some people who wouldn't have had Ballance playing in this Test - he's scored four hundreds in nine Tests, so let's please stop all that nonsense. I think he's even a contender for opening."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WICKET
Ballance c Blackwood b Benn 122 (Eng 281-6)
Gary Ballance's excellent innings is finally ended. He tries to smear Sulieman Benn into the mid-wicket stands but underclubs into a strong breeze and picks out Jermaine Blackwood on the rope.
A terrific innings though - and Ballance wears a look of justifiable delight on his ruddy face as he walks off.
Scorecard
Post update
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"West Indies will know Alastair Cook is a conservative captain - call it kidology, but you can tell they're making a conscious effort to slow the game down. They'll just slow the over-rate down as the longer the West Indies are in the field now, the better it is for them. They might just keep going with the old ball after 80 overs."
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Leo Watson: Quality knock by Gary Ballance. Horribly out of form for months but shown real guts to dig this out. Brave and inspiring knock.
Andy Donley: The excellent Gary Ballance giving further evidence as to why England aren't in as bad a position as many insist.
Stoney: I remember when the bowling team applauded a batsmen scoring a century. Nowadays it's greeted with disdain.
Eng 281-5 (Ballance 122*, Buttler 24*)
Our first sighting of pace in this afternoon session - Jason Holder, who is precisely as tall as Sulieman Benn but considerably more rapid, has the cherry. Jos Buttler, his big beak smeared in white zinc cream, brings up the 50 partnership with a pleasingly unreconstructed mow down the ground. England are so comfortable here they're not so much in the driving seat as in the old armchair with their dressing gown and slippers on.
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Simon Hughes
BBC Test Match Special
On Twitter: "Good comment from Athers - '20 years ago if a batsman was pinned in the Caribbean, it wouldn't have been from a straight drive off a spinner'."
Eng 272-5
There seems to be some sort of contretemps brewing between Gary Ballance and Sulieman Benn - Benn apparently took exception to the vigorous way in which Ballance celebrated his century and has treated him to a few hard stares. England add three singles from the giant spinner's latest over.
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Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Ballance, once he's finished batting, will have to ice that - then he can put his feet up and watch his team-mates field for the rest of the day!"
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Eng 269-5 (Ballance 116*, Buttler 18*)
Ballance is made of tough stuff - he looks like the sort of man who would medicate a broken limb with an ice pack and a rich tea biscuit. He's OK to carry on.
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Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"Buttler's absolutely creamed that, it could have broken Ballance's arm."
Ouch!
Eng 267-5
Jos Buttler has cleaned up Gary Ballance here - he gets full hold of a loopy delivery from Marlon Samuels and wallops it into the right bicep of the cowering Ballance. Magic spray please!
Eng 258-5
Ballance removes his helmet and allows himself a celebratory wipe of his sweaty brow. An excellent job. Buttler then shows wrists of Jahangir Khan to slap a preposterously skilful reverse sweep behind square for four.
Burglars stop play
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James in Boldon: A few years ago we were watching our local first team (Boldon CC) and a police helicopter hovered overhead. A burglar then vaulted over the boundary fence, persued by CID. My mate rugby-tackled the burglar and another spectator sat on him until he was cuffed and escorted away!
Paddy Byers: A tour match for our Sunday league side was stopped when the police arrived to tell the ref that his house had been burgled. (A football match, does it count?)
Eng 251-5 (Ballance 106*, Buttler 10*)
Buttler gets his first boundary with a powerful reverse sweep for four, but he nearly bites off more than he can chew next ball - pulling aerially to offer a hard chance which Kraigg Brathwaite can't quite pouch at midwicket. A couple of let-offs already for Jos.
Bobby Charlton stops play
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Alan Wallace: We had a delayed start because Bobby Charlton was on the outfield being filmed for a training video. He then joined us for a knock-up before taking my opening bowlers to the bar while we batted first.
Eng 245-5 (lead by 349)
A swept two takes Ballance to 105, England's lead to one shy of 350 and Benn's figures to 1-75 from 21.
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Four hundreds in nine Tests. Wow."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
How's stat?!
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician
"Herbert Sutcliffe scored five hundreds in his first nine Tests, a record for England. Only two other players have got four hundreds in their first nine Tests: Andrew Strauss and Peter Parfitt."
100 for Ballance
Eng 243-5
There it is! Gary Ballance gets to his fourth Test century - and his first away from England - with a clobbered four down the ground. He removes his helmet and punches the air, a grimace of satisfaction on his face - what a gutsy innings from the number three after a run of low scores.
Eng 239-5 (Ballance 99*, Buttler 5*)
Ballance is creeping towards his landmark here like a burglar stealing down a moonlit garden path - he inches to 99 with a top edge to third man and a nudge into the leg side.
AWOL soldier stops play
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Edward Page: A pub match for my pub team, the Snowdrop, was halted when the military police turned up to arrest one of the opposition who was AWOL. He bolted over a hedge and was not seen again.
Eng 236-5
Ballance moves two closer to his hundred with a delicate paddle sweep very fine down the leg side.
Eng 233-5 (Ballance 95*, Buttler 4*)
Cries of 'Get him, get him!' as Ballance pushes Samuels into the covers and Blackwood (I think) pounces on the ball and fizzes a throw at the stumps - would have had Buttler out by two feet if he'd hit.
Dad stops play
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Dan Johnson: I remember watching Test matches in the summer on the BBC, including a certain Mr Boycott, and my Dad coming home at lunchtime and booting my brother and I out of the house to get some 'fresh air'. We had to hide at the bottom of the garden until he had gone back to the office before sneaking back in to resume play.
Eng 229-5
Gary Ballance is one hit away from his fourth Test century now - those slow, loopy off-breaks of Sulieman Benn must look mighty tempting. Benn keeps it tight though, and Ballance remains watchful - a maiden.
Pop Idol stops play
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Rob Heath: We once stopped a game because Gareth Gates landed in a helicopter next to the pitch!
Keep sending in your bizarre reasons for stopping play, we've had some excellent ones so far.
Eng 229-5 (Ballance 94*, Buttler 1*)
It'll be spin from both ends, with Marlon Samuels bowling in tandem with Benn. Buttler gets off the mark with a push into the covers.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Jos Buttler doesn't need to do anything silly. His natural way is to play and score - so just play naturally. There is pressure when you have the range of shot he has, that people expect it all the time."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Eng 226-5
Jos Buttler, who pocketed a 22-ball duck in the first innings, strides to the crease.
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"That's hari-kari. He gave his wicket away. There was probably something in the dressing room about scoring quick runs, but you can do that with common sense. He never looked like getting to the pitch. If you don't get there, just block it."
WICKET
Stokes st Ramdin b Benn 35 (Eng 226-5)
Good Lord. Sulieman Benn, who has looked about as threatening as a feather duster so far, suddenly has his first wicket of the match. Ben Stokes dances down the track, aims a big heave at a slow off-break, misses and holds the pose as Denesh Ramdin whips the bails off.
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Thank you Mitch. Evening everyone. England in a strong position here, with Gary Ballance in sight of his fourth Test ton. Sulieman Benn to open the bowling after lunch.
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And just like that, lunch is concluded, the players are on their way back out and it's time to allow James Gheerbrant to talk you through the afternoon session. Please be nice to him.
Pedantic umpire stops play
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Sian (still angry): One of Hampstead women's team's league matches last season was stopped by an umpire for the match scheduled after ours intruding onto the pitch mid-over, accompanied by two sheepish-looking captains, and demanding to get the toss done at that exact moment. The lack of respect was, quite frankly, phenomenal and he was heckled off the pitch following this incident by supporters of both our match and the following men's game.
The genius then decided that the best place for him to sit and wait for his match to begin was in the middle of our players waiting to bat. They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but a team of women's cricketers scorned is a completely different matter...
When to declare?
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Jim: With Ballance & Stokes in with Buttler to come, Alastair should be looking at getting an additional 100 runs & sticking WI in.
Post update
Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"We've been joined by Antigua and Barbuda government minister Chet Greene. Not many countries have Ministers of Trade, Sport, Culture and Festivities."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Guinness slows play
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Andrew: A few years back we were playing a friendly match on a Sunday afternoon. The opposition were "owed a favour" by a certain Dublin based brewery. They duly arrived with a couple of barrels and a case of Champagne. Guinness and Black Velvets did not quite stop play however they certainly slowed everything down. Even the umpires had a pint sitting behind the stumps. As for the result? Who knows - the scorer fell asleep.
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More from Sir Curtly Ambrose on TMS: "James Anderson and Stuart Broad bowl well together in partnership. Anderson didn't take all his wickets in England, so that shows that he's not just effective in English conditions. He's a wonderful bowler and to have reached this stage is a wonderful achievement."
Sir Ian Botham stops play
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Charles Hampton: A certain Sir Ian Botham landed his chopper on our cricket pitch to watch his son playing football in the Under-11s, the football game was stopped to watch this momentous event! Not sure if Sir Ian was the pilot, but our groundsman was not too pleased!
Post update
More from Sir Curtly Ambrose on TMS: "I keep telling our players we have to bowl in partnerships, like I did with Courtney Walsh. 20-30 years ago, we were the best team in the world and everyone was proud of us as we unified the Caribbean. Today, we're not doing so well, people are not so happy, but they still watch the cricket. They argue about what we're doing wrong, but that's Caribbean people."
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Tom Chetwyn: Can't see Cook lasting much longer with this form but who is there to replace him?
Andrew Stone: Rashid is a leg-spinner who bats a bit. England should pick him as a new number eight and hope he becomes Steve Smith.
Post update
Former West Indies fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose on TMS: "We are a proud nation. Whatever we do, we always try to be the best. We want to show them that even though we're small, we can be as good as you - that's our passion. Standards were very high back in the day."
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James Gulleford: Those England players scores in the IPL (see 17:15) say it all really! Morgan not even better than a run a ball! #notgoodenough
Live now
BBC Radio Test Match Special
TMS are now hearing from cricketing knight and local hero Sir Curtly Ambrose about Antigua's cricketing heritage.
Post update
More from Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "Jonathan Trott's come back into the side, and everyone wants to see him do well. Alastair Cook has scored more runs than anyone in England cricket. As a leader, he's a top lad, and I'd like to see people start backing him, and I think he'll put a lot of egg on a lot of people's faces over the next few months."
Ducks stop play
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Tom Leonard: We once has ducks fly onto the pitch and halt the game! Not a good omen for the incoming batsmen!
Andy Shaw: I thought the currently trending topic #HookMeADuck might be an unkind reference to Alastair Cook. Seems not.
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Do you think Kevin Pietersen could or should return for England?
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "I don't know. he's an extraordinary talent who strengthened every team I played in with him. I'm not sure about everything that's gone on over the last two years with the book and everything, but he's going to have to prove his case by scoring runs. You don't just walk back into an England team - you look at Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes and Buttler, who could be England's AB de Villiers. Wherever Kevin goes, he'll create headlines. We'll see what happens."
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On the new director of England cricket role:
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "There's a lot of candidates being bandied about, great England captains of the past. I was just a footsoldier, I'm not in a position to be saying who should get the job."
Wedding stops play
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Simon, Bristol: I recall years ago playing in the Devon League for Alphington at Cockington - a ground located right next to a church. That particular Saturday afternoon a member of the Cockington club was getting married at the church and after the ceremony the game was halted for a few minutes so the home team could create a 'tunnel of honour' using their bats while the player left the church.
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Would you like to see an English Premier League like the IPL or BBL replace the T20 Blast?
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "This is a Premier League of sorts. It's 18 teams all playing their best team, and the standard is high. Last year in my first game against Worcestershire, my second ball went over my head, and that's never happened before. Let's see how this season goes. You get 25,000 at Old Trafford watching Lancashire v Yorkshire, and Chelmsford is always packed out. Let's give the Blast a chance - the Big Bash wasn't formed overnight, it's taken four years to get where they are now."
Insects stop play
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Luke in Leeds: On a dark, damp and quite dull night at Cote de Blubberhouses, a game was nearly abandoned because of midges. I remember going out to bat with a tea towel wrapped around my neck and struggling to see the umpire at the other end. A swarm of midges would occupy the wicket ends, waiting for their next victim. Thankfully I only had two balls to face before I ran back to the pavilion in pursuit of the umpire, who ran as if he was being chased by lions.
Dom Holtam: My old club had to abandon a Kent village league match after a swarm of flying ants descended on the pitch.
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More from Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "I think English cricket's on the cusp of something special. I wouldn't get too hung up on the World Cup - I played in four and they were all rubbish. I look at the Test team now and I think we're as strong as we ever have been, they're just lacking a bit of confidence. I'd have Alastair Cook leading the side every day of the week - he's one of the all-time England greats."
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Will you be playing for Lancashire again this season?
Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "I don't know what's happening - I played in the Big Bash for Brisbane and went in the jungle, now I'm taking stock. I've not spoken to Ashley Giles or Lancashire, I need to see what his vision is and see if he wants a 37-year-old man playing. It's whether I have something to offer."
Naughty boy (and dog) stop play
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Jack, Bicester: We once had a young lad walk onto the pitch mid game and proceed to sit on the middle of the wicket with his dog until his mother allowed him back into the house for sneaking out after being grounded.... to watch the cricket.
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Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff on TMS: "Last year's T20 final still bothers me - I think about what I should have done to win it for Lancashire. I look at some of the young lads and I'm jealous of them - they're young and they've got all that cricket in front of them."
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More from Chris Woakes on TMS: "We didn't do ourselves justice at the World Cup and that's the most disappointing thing. It's frustrating for me to miss out on the West Indies tour because of a foot injury, but I'm going to make sure with a couple of early performances for Warwickshire that I'm knocking on the door for the New Zealand series.
"I do think Jonathan Trott will bounce back. I know he hasn't gone as well in this series as he would have liked, but I think he'll settle into that opening slot, which we know is not an easy one. I think it's only a matter of time until he finds his feet again at international level."
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Some news from the Indian Premier League - England one-day players Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara have been batting together today for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals. Morgan made 27 from 30 balls, Bopara hit 23 not out from 19 in Hyderabad's 127-5 from 20 overs.
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More from Chris Woakes on TMS: "It will be nice to have Brendon McCullum onside, especially after what happened at the Cake Tin in the World Cup. He's a fantastic cricketer, and the way he captained his side at the World Cup was an inspiration. Hopefully he can improve us as players and he can bring more players to the club."
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Ben Hudson: I'm not a cricket fan, I'm more of a casual observer. When was the last time Cook had a decent England game?
Harry Wilko: Feel it would be unfair to drop Trott after one Test, but I would put Lyth instead of Cook.
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More from Chris Woakes on TMS: "If we do have franchise cricket in England, I think it will be a good thing, because it will show that things are moving forward and it will put players in pressure situations."
Read more from Chris Woakesabout when he might return from his foot injury - and why he'll be at the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.
Ambulances and helicopters stop play
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Mark, Coventry: We had an hour delay last season at Meriden Spartans when the air ambulance landed at fine leg to deal with a lad who left part of his arm on a nearby fence (not as bad as it seemed!). The crowd didn't stay to watch the resumption in play...
Miles from Lancaster: I was playing in an U12s school match for Lancaster RGS, when our game was suspended so that a helicopter could land. It turns out that it was the Princess Royal who was visiting the school in order to mark the 150th anniversary.
Post update
England and Warwickshire/Birmingham all-rounder Chris Woakes on TMS: "I'm really excited. It was a fantastic tournament last year, and everyone's excited about the summer ahead. It was a fantastic day when we won last year in front of our fans, and fortunately I managed to get us over the line. Franchise cricket has taken over in other parts of the world, but I think what's important for our competition is we've got some great players coming, not just from the county system but from all over the world. I've played in the Big Bash but I still believe ours has a strong standard."
Live now
BBC Radio Test Match Special
TMS will be hearing from Windies legend Sir Curtly Ambrose a little later - but for now, they're previewing the new T20 Blast season, hearing from Andrew Flintoff and Chris Woakes, amongst others, from today's media launch.
Big names in this season's competition include Brendon McCullum (Birmingham), Chris Gayle (Somerset), Kumar Sangakkara (Surrey) and Shahid Afridi (Northants).
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"England are in a very strong position. The partnership between Root and Ballance was excellent. Stokes has come out and made it look very easy. He's played with real power, and skill in those reverse sweeps. West Indies have been poor, but it's important that England give themselves enough time with the declaration."
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Ian Bradley: Great to see Ballance flourishing back in his natural habitat, should never wear anything but white for England again.
Peter Collins: Can we please just not criticise our middle order? They've scored high and at a reasonable rate this match. Be happy!
Post update
Ed Smith
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"Very much England's morning. You would think an England defeat can be eliminated from the possible results list."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Lunch scorecard
England 224-4 (67 overs) - lead by 328 runs
Batsmen: Ballance 92*, Stokes 33*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11), 166-4 (Root 59)
Bowling figures: Taylor 14-5-42-2, Roach 13-1-47-0, Holder 13-5-39-1, Benn 17-2-65-0, Samuels 10-0-26-0
First innings: England 399; West Indies 295
Full scorecard
Lunch interval
Eng 224-4 (lead by 328)
Ballance moves into the 90s with a careful dab for two, taking England briefly onto double Nelson in what could be the last over before lunch. A couple of easy singles - and a couple of spurious field changes - mean the clock has ticked around to noon at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and it's time for lunch.
Electric fence stops play
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Nick Soan: An electric fence stopped play for us, as the ball was hit in to a little grass area housing a couple of horses at the bottom of our pitch, our fielder jumped the fence and threw the ball back. Comedy then followed as his first three of four attempts of climbing back over all ended up with his leg hitting the electric fence, his body going into spasm and then his body thumping the floor. Must have been a good 15 minutes until he got back, while we all just watched.
Eng 220-4 (Ballance 89*, Stokes 32*)
A Stokes single brings Ballance on strike again, but he's batting with the calm equilibrium his surname suggests, leaving or patting back the good balls before turning a looser delivery off his legs for one.
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Tom Holmes: The West Indians have Sulieman Benn as their premier spinner. I'm pretty sure they'd kill to have Tredders in their side.
Nick Lovering: Is this the bit when we bat far too long and don't give our (somewhat average) attack enough time to prise out the Crab?
Eng 218-4 (lead by 322)
Has Ballance enough time to reach a century before lunch? He cuts Samuels for two to move to 88, but looks content enough to approach the interval unscathed.
Drunk umpire stops play
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Jez Denton in Banbury: At a game once at Abingdon Rugby Club vs Peachcroft Social Club the game was held up as one of the umpires had fallen asleep drunk on cider in a bouncy castle that then deflated on him. To be fair he'd been caught out on a number of occasions with a golf ball having been dropped in his pint meaning he had to finish the pint in one go. Lbw's were removed as an 'out' due to a lack of accuracy!
Eng 216-4
After that two-over burst from Taylor, it's back to Benn who has had a change of ends, and a Ballance single brings up the fifty partnership, prompting an understated, manly handshake between the two left-handers. The Seaweed Man is dancing away again.
Red Arrows stop play
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Kevin McMeeking: On 22 August 2014, our Tipton St John CC game stopped to allow the Red Arrows to fly over the ground in preparation for the Dartmouth Regatta.
Eng 215-4 (lead by 319)
Samuels brings in a man under the lid at silly point, but Ballance cuts a single straight past him.
We're about 12 minutes from lunch - when TMS will be previewing the new domestic T20 Blast season in England.
Deer stops play
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Ian Pollard: Has anyone mentioned the Championship match in the mid-90s between Yorkshire & Derbyshire at Sheffield? A deer appeared from somewhere near deep mid-wicket (not quite cow corner!) then ran across the middle of the pitch, nearly wiped out Anthony McGrath at extra cover before jumping the advertising boards, bouncing off a taxi in the car park and setting off down the drive in the general direction of Dore station.
Eng 213-4 (Ballance 84*, Stokes 30*)
A well-timed cut brings Ballance his 10th four, while even Jerome Taylor is leaking singles now - even if England declared this minute, West Indies would already be looking at about the fourth highest successful run chase in the Caribbean.
Sunbathing snake stops play
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Jack Barlow: During a school game, we returned after tea to find an adder sunning itself on the pitch. Batters weren't that keen to resume.
Eng 205-4 (lead by 309)
Stokes smacks Samuels past the lumbering Benn at cover for a comfortable two, as the runs continue to flow with ease for the tourists.
Not a time to be a Windies fan. These two have added 39 in no time at all, and if one of them goes, England have Jos Buttler revved up to come in next.
Dead sheep starts play
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Chris Daborn: We held, on our farm in Scotland, an annual cricket match of the "Village" versus an "International XI" of overseas veterinary students. One year we found a dead sheep on the wicket. Being one player short we moved it down to third man and play started now having a full complement of fielders.
Eng 200-4 (60 overs)
Jerome Taylor returns for one last spell before lunch. Stokes off-drives and Shiv Chanderpaul - who was showing his 40 years earlier - makes a great full-length diving stop of which any of his younger team-mates could be proud. Another cracking cover drive takes England to 200 and the overall lead to 304. Dominant.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"England have played well. They have capitalised on some poor bowling - Ballance has played some lovely shots through the off side and Stokes has played a couple of reverse-sweeps. Since that 10-over burst with the new ball, West Indies have looked like a team that will just wait for the declaration."
Bombs and guns stop play
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Lee Beale, Wimborne: I was playing in a game in Bournemouth for Pavilion Sports CC against Dorset Police and the start of the game was delayed when the bomb squad blew up a suspect package outside the changing room.
Andrew from Balerno, Edinburgh: I was once playing in a T20 game in Edinburgh for the mighty Currie & Balerno where play was stopped when a shirtless youth cycled across the square with an air rifle slung over his shoulder.
Eng 194-4 (lead by 298)
I won't pretend it's an easy situation for the fielding captain in these circumstances - how to balance the need for wickets with leaving gaps open for easy runs. Ramdin tries to ring the changes by introducing Marlon Samuels's part-time off-spin for the first time today.
Stokes reverse-sweeps and misses - the ball hits his bicep and bounces off the keeper into the hands of first slip. Just a single added to the score.
Post update
Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
"The West Indies' body language doesn't look too good. They are sauntering around and it looks a foregone conclusion. There's some motivation needed because it still hasn't got away from them. They need to retain some control."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Scorecard update
England 193-4 (58 overs) - lead by 297 runs
Batsmen: Ballance 74*, Stokes 20*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11), 166-4 (Root 59)
Bowling figures: Taylor 12-5-27-2, Roach 13-1-47-0, Holder 13-5-39-1, Benn 15-2-62-0, Samuels 5-0-13-0
First innings: England 399; West Indies 295
Full scorecard
Eng 193-4 (Stokes 20 from 21 balls)
England captain Alastair Cook and coach Peter Moores, up on the balcony, will be fairly pleased with this morning session so far, as apart from Joe Root's wicket, it's been steady, risk-free accumulation. Stokes is toying with West Indies, taking a couple of twos before swiping a four between the solitary slip and gully. "The horse has bolted, and it's running away down the road" notes Tony Cozier on TMS as Ramdin belatedly brings in an extra slip. Stokes isn't hanging around here and the game is slipping away from West Indies.
Cows stop play
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Chris Mills: Stourport CC seconds were once off due to cows invading the home side's ground and leaving hoofprints on a length.
Eng 184-4 (lead by 288)
With combined match figures of 40-5-144-0 before this over, fair to say it's not been a vintage game for left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn. England are picking off ones and twos with ease. His figures are now 15-2-62-0 for the innings, 41-5-147-0 for the match.
Post update
Sir Viv Richards
Ex-West Indies captain on BBC Test Match Special
"From all accounts, Devendra Bishoo has bowled well this season. He's a leggie from Guyana. I'm not sure why he was dropped because he has got an immaculate record. There are no excuses for him not to be playing."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Eng 181-4 (Ballance 74*, Stokes 8*)
Holder's fit to continue - how West Indies need him, as the last thing you need with a four-man attack is one of those four going off injured. Ballance helps himself to a couple, then a long-hop outside off stump is easily slapped through the covers for four to the delight of some England fans on the grassy terraces behind that boundary. Holder is frustrated as the last ball beats Ballance's outside edge - the old Harrovian has 74 from 177 balls.
Anneka Rice stops play
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Nicholas Rowe: "On 13 Jan 1983, our Sudbury CC game stopped to allow Anneka Rice's helicopter to land for an episode of Treasure Hunt. OK, it was a bit staged, but it was still a memorable pitch invasion (vivid memories of shiny spandex).
Eng 175-4 (lead by 279)
While the Windies physio goes to have a word with Holder on the boundary, Benn is rather taken aback as Stokes gets off the mark by fluently reverse-sweeping him for four - and then repeats the shot at the end of the over, taking advantage of a characteristically unguarded third man boundary.
Shooting stops play
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Pete, Lutterworth: At Stoneygate Cricket Club in the early '90s, we had to stop a game to pursue a gunman who had shot a child through some woods at the edge of our ground. We caught him and turned him over to the police and the club received a letter from the Chief Constable. Unfortunately, by the time it was all over, it had started raining heavily and the match was abandoned…
Eng 167-4 (Ballance 68*, Stokes 0*)
Ballance plays out a probing maiden over from Holder - but Sir Viv Richards on TMS notices Holder having a word with Ramdin at the end of the over and then stalking off to the boundary - he may be carrying an injury.
Stuffed tiger stopped play
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Rob from Salisbury: I played in the stuffed tiger game. I must admit I'd forgotten about it before your mention.
Re: 15.17 (Graeme Fowler's autobiography) that's simply untrue. Root is an opener and bats middle order. Katich did it for Aus. The reason middle-order batsmen don't open is because facing the new ball is a different skill to batting middle-order. Lyth won't open for England, they have no intention of picking him because if he did well that would cause them problems and they'd have to leave someone out when Moeen gets back. Same reason Rashid wasn't picked. They didn't want him to do well as that would have caused selection problems when Moeen is back and England constitutionally aren't allowed to select two spinners.
Eng 167-4
Stokes holds the pose, he doesn't think he's out - and not only was the impact outside off stump (with Stokes playing a shot), the ball-tracker shows it missing the stumps completely - so that's about as "not out" as you can get. I repeat my suggestion from yesterday that captain Denesh Ramdin should have some remedial lessons on the use of DRS, as West Indies have wasted their reviews in quite a shocking manner. Perhaps Swanny could have a word?
Umpire review
Single from Ballance, then there's a big appeal as Big Benn hits Stokes on the pad sweeping. Umpire Davis shakes his head as Benn descends to one knee - and West Indies gamble with their last review (though they get the back after 80 overs).
Drunk mother stops play
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Charlie de Mierre: I was playing in a school match which had to be put on hold for about 45 minutes in order to deal with the mother of one of my team-mates, who had turned up to watch the game tipsy and then proceeded to booze her way through at least a bottle of gin. Her support from the boundary was so inappropriately raucous that the game was stopped while a cab was ordered to take her home and she was force-fed tea and Victoria sponge in the pavilion.
Eng 166-4 (lead by 270)
Ben Stokes is the new batsman, joining fellow left-hander Ballance at the crease. The Durham man sees out the rest of Holder's over - the Windies ODI captain has 1-24 from 10 overs.
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James Gutteridge: If Root doesn't go on to be England's all-time highest run scorer then something will have gone horribly wrong.
Harry Shawyer: *Turns cricket on* England lose a wicket within 2 minutes. *Turns cricket off*.
Drinks break
With an hour of play gone, the umpires see Root's dismissal as a good time to wave the drinks break on. England lead by 270.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"He played it very softly, very late. There are many ways to get out, let me tell you. And he'll have a few more funny ones before he finishes his career. But he played very well. He was busy - and he did it in both innings."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
WICKET
Root b Holder 59 (Eng 166-4 - lead by 270)
For the second time in this match, Joe Root has played a delicate defensive shot onto his stumps after a good-looking half century - the bowler was Taylor in the first innings, Holder this time, and the young Yorkshireman walks off shaking his head as the potential for a big innings is quashed again.
Scorecard
Calamari and Communion stop play
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Sam Stevens: South Africa batsman Daryl Cullinan once hit the ball out of the stadium and into a frying pan of hot calamari during a game in 1995. Play was delayed for 10 minutes whilst the coating of grease was removed.
Also, play was delayed twice during a Lancashire-Sussex match at Lytham St Anne's in the same year, when excerpts from Holy Communion at nearby St Cuthbert's Church mysteriously came over on the ground's speaker system.
Eng 165-3 (Ballance 66*, Root 59*)
Ian Bell was run out in rather a careless manner yesterday evening, but Ballance and Root have looked secure between the wickets today (and I hope that's not a commentator's curse). Having exchanged careful singles for a while, Ballance finally gives it some welly when he slog-sweeps Big Benn over mid-wicket for six.
Murder stops play
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James: In the North Shields area of North Eastern England, sometime in 1980s, Percy Main CC were once 'murdered off' after police closed the ground due to a homicide having taken place on the pitch the night before!
Scorecard update
England 157-3 (50 overs) - lead by 261 runs
Batsmen: Ballance 59*, Root 58*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11)
Bowling figures: Taylor 12-5-27-2, Roach 13-1-47-0, Holder 9-4-23-0, Benn 11-2-42-0, Samuels 5-0-13-0
First innings: England 399; West Indies 295
Full scorecard
Eng 157-3 (50 overs)
Jason Holder stands 6ft 7ins but he's a shade down on pace from the great West Indies giants of the 1980s. Fast-medium if you're being generous, medium-fast if you're being harsh. The Yorkshire pair plunder a total of three singles.
Gazebo on fire stops play
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liamjhicks: We once had to stop play because a gazebo caught fire when the BBQ inside it was left unattended and it got a bit windy!
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Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I don't profess to understand what Alastair Cook and Peter Moores will do about a declaration. I would say, give yourself at least 30 overs tonight and 90 over tomorrow. Not many sides survive 120 overs."
Eng 154-3 (lead by 258)
A ripple of applause as England's score passes 150 and the Ballance-Root stand passes 100, but it was a rare glimmer of hope for the Caribbean side as Root edges Benn for a four past slip. I'll say this for West Indies, their over-rate is better today, 11 overs in 48 minutes so far.
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Dan Davies, London: I genuinely think that knocking Cook down to third or even fourth would do him the world of good. Give him time to get his head straight.
Eng 149-3 (Ballance 58*, Root 51*)
A double change in the bowling - indeed, it is Jason Holder to replace fellow right-arm seamer Kemar Roach. (I nearly typed "eight-arm seamer" - imagine facing the bowling of an octopus...) Ed Smith on TMS thinks West Indies need something quickly before the game is gone for them, but Ballance easily negotiates a maiden over. This stand is worth 97.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"In the first innings and in this innings he has been busy, he has been composed. He's always been in control of what he's doing and he's got the scoreboard ticking nicely."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Helicopter stops play
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Jack, Bournemouth: We had to stop play once to allow our cricket field to be used as an emergency helicopter pad!
50 for Root
Eng 149-3 (lead by 253)
England have won their first battle of the day, having seen off Jerome Taylor's first four-over spell, as West Indies turn to the towering left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, who's yet to take a wicket in this match. (If he played for England, I'm sure the inbox would be flooded with fans demanding his immediate replacement). Ballance picks off an easy single, while Root helps himself to a two to bring up his second fifty of the match from 68 balls. Well batted, young man.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"I hope England really believe they can win. They haven't totally got to a position where the West Indies are out of it. But they are well in control and West Indies will be out of it some time around lunch. That's when you've got to put your foot on the accelerator, put your foot on their throat. I don't think Alastair Cook thinks like that as a captain."
Tornado stops play
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Alastair Wood: During my time playing for Rickling Ramblers, we had play stopped due to a tornado and another time due to a swarm of wasps.
Eng 146-3
A discarded plastic bag blows across the outfield as Roach begins a new over, Ballance executes a careful dab past the slips for one to take the lead to 250. If you were a Windies fan, you'd wonder where the next wicket is coming from. Time for Holder?
Carrot stops play
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Andy Stead: I remember one game at Headingley where after a morning and afternoon's drinking, an inebriated spectator in a full-height carrot costume encroached onto the field of play. The carrot, closely followed by stewards and police, ran around the pitch before tripping up over the boundary rope and headbutting the advertising hoardings. Due to being knocked out, play was delayed whilst the carrot was attended too by first aiders before being escorted from the ground by the local constabulary.
Post update
Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special
"These two batsmen look comfortable. A wicket sometimes comes from nowhere but it doesn't look like it will."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Eng 145-3 (lead by 249)
It's been the Gary Ballance Show for England so far, but now Joe Root comes to the party (copyright Duncan Fletcher) with a couple of sumptuous cover drives of his own, right out of the Gower textbook. He even holds the pose to aid any photographers who didn't get it straight away. Now he's one short of his fifty.
To Trott or not to Trott?
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Matt Roberts: It already seems evident that Trott doesn't have the technique to play as an opener - he looks vulnerable against the new ball. You could argue that he batted three previously so may have been exposed to a fair amount of new-ball bowling, but prior to the failings in the last Ashes series Trott already had a platform to build on. Give Lyth the shot he deserves.
Eng 137-3 (Ballance 56*, Root 41*)
Roach goes round the wicket to the leftie Ballance, who lets a couple go, waiting for the right delivery to slap through point for four. Another lovely shot.
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David Cunningham: England took 113 overs to bowl out West Indies in first innings. At their current poor over rate they will need to declare now.
Eng 133-3 (lead by 237)
It's safety first for Root, who has taken 60 balls to make 41 - he sees off a maiden from Taylor. Meanwhile, with plenty of ribs sizzling on a nearby BBQ, Aggers and Graeme Swann recall an ODI in Potchefstroom when the match was delayed because of the smoke and fog generated by all the braais (South African barbecues).
Have any of you ever been at a match where a stranger reason than "braai stopped play" halted the game? Such as "stuffed toy tiger stops play" at a Hampshire Academy match at the Rose Bowl's nursery ground in 2011?
Post update
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"That's a very well-made fifty. Ballance is not a David Gower-type left-hander; he's not all flair and easy on the eye. But he's very compact and he has looked very assured.
"I remember Andy Flower saying what a good player Gary Ballance was. He liked the way he shaped up and his technique. If it's good enough for Andy Flower, it's good enough for me."
50 for Ballance
Eng 133-3
And that's a fourth Test fifty for Gary Ballance, as the left-hander cracks Roach for a lovely four through the covers. It seems now that any left-hander's cover drive will indubitably be measured against that of a certain DI Gower, but that was a terrific shot.
A sub-plot of the Trott debate seems to be this: what about Ballance opening and Trott at three? I remember reading Graeme Fowler's autobiography many years ago - he questioned why middle-order batsmen are often suggested as openers, but the reverse never happens - openers are never selected in the middle order.
To Trott or not to Trott?
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Matthew West: Adam Lyth surely cannot be overlooked again for the next Test. If he doesn't play this tour, it sends the message that county runs count for nothing. Why mess with the batting line-up just to get Trott in? Pick a genuine opener to open the batting.
Eng 126-3 (Taylor 10-4-19-2)
Old man Shivnarine Chanderpaul chases the ball from mid-on like an old man in a club game, lets the ball go straight through him and shows all of his 40 years, allowing Root to scamper a three. Ballance, two short of a half-century, defends well against Taylor.
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Stuart, tax accountant: Re: Edward 14:58, I concur with you Mark - summarised perfectly. Tax law is a tricky beast that not everyone likes, people like to slag off, but everyone needs it. Much like KP.
Many, many people: After deductions, it should be nett not net.
Post update
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"I hope I'm not going to do a Michael Vaughan and jinx Joe Root. His batting looks better and better every time I see him play. He's really maturing and starting to look like the real deal. The England batting order needs a leader and Joe Root can do it."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Eng 123-3 (Ballance 48*, Root 35*)
Kemar Roach to take the second over of the day, he went for 32 in nine overs yesterday and looked a bit down on pace. The right-handed Joe Root forges ahead with a two and a single.
To Trott or not to Trott?
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Anthony: Mr Gunter (14:55), if you'd listened more carefully to Mr Boycott, you'd have heard him say: "well, I wouldn't have picked him there". In other words, Boycs wasn't saying he wouldn't have picked him: he was saying he shouldn't be opening - a point he then clarified in some detail later.
Ian, Barcelona: It doesn't really matter if Trott or Ballance opens if Cook is the other opener. It is quite likely they will both end up as de facto openers should Cook's form continue and he is back in the pavilion with less than 20 on the board.
Eng 120-3 (lead by 224)
Jerome Taylor from the Sir Andy Roberts End - England's first task must be to see the big Jamaican paceman's first spell off. Taylor, with a big grin on his face, goes round the wicket to the left-handed Gary Ballance, who gets England going with a cut for four past Big Benn at gully.
Post update
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
"I can only see today going England's way, They have to get 350-400 ahead - you need four sessions to give yourselves the best opportunity to win.
"I hope they'll be positive and get those runs quickly, But I wouldn't be surprised if in this first session we see 70 or 80 runs. I know full well that in the dresssng room they'll be saying, 'Let's just get to lunch'."
Post update
I hope for West Indies' sake they had one of those fiery pep-talks from Curtly Ambrose. At least two of their four-man attack (Kemar Roach and Sulieman Benn) were off-colour yesterday evening, putting a lot of pressure on Jerome Taylor and Jason Holder, with only Marlon Samuels's part-time off-spin as an alternative.
Taylor's up first. Aggers has spotted the Seaweed Man - he's on the other side of the ground from where he was yesterday. Let's play.
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Adrian Rowden: Poor old Cookie and Trotty, having to face cheap Windies cricket balls that swing. Whatever next...
Start-of-play scorecard
England 116-3 (38 overs) - lead by 220 runs
Batsmen: Ballance 44*, Root 32*
Fall of wickets: 15-1 (Trott 4), 20-2 (Cook 13), 52-3 (Bell 11)
Bowling figures: Taylor 8-4-12-2, Roach 9-1-32-0, Holder 7-3-20-0, Benn 9-2-34-0, Samuels 5-0-13-0
First innings: England 399; West Indies 295
Full scorecard
Should Trott open?
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"When Trott is playing well, I don't see him moving towards mid-off with his head position. The biggest skill when batting is to be still on release of the ball but Jonathan Trott isn't. That makes it hard to be consistent. He has to be more still."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
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Edward: Any chance you could drop the use of "net" to describe a lead from the website's live text service? I'm at a loss to explain why it jars with me. But for balance, credit to the team for an excellent account of the Test match so far!
Apologies if it disconcerts you, Edward. Blame me. It's "net" as in the use of the word "net" to mean after tax and other deductions. So while England are "gross" 116-3, in effect they're "net" 220-3 in a one-innings match. Had they trailed by 104 on first innings, they'd be "net" 12-3. Their over-rate is, however, just "gross".
Post update
We're on for a prompt start in Antigua. A sneak preview of the lunch interval at 17:00 BST - TMS will be reporting on today's launch of the new T20 Blast season, hearing from Andrew Flintoff and Chris Woakes.
Should Trott open?
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"I would have taken the risk on Trott because of his record. But Ballance would be better suited to open and have Trott at three. I don't think it would affect Gary Ballance because he's a tremendous player."
To Trott or not to Trott?
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Tom Gunter: Whilst Cook's form has been patchy it's interesting to see Boycott suggest Trott shouldn't be playing... a month after he publicly said he should be in the team.
Post update
Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special
"England are in such a strong position that they have got to let the game take its natural progression. They just need to bat; play like they did last night. Bat positively but not recklessly.
"The West Indies wheels fell off somewhat yesterday. It's the morning session when this pitch tends to do a bit more, so there might be a hint of moisture there. They have to strike this morning if they want to get back in this contest."
Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).
Anderson-watch: day four
The celebrations of James Anderson's 100th Test continued yesterday - you can listen to yesterday's lunchtime feature, "The Real Jimmy", on the TMS podcast page - while the England pace spearhead - now only one wicket behind Sir Ian Botham. And the latest praise for him comes from former England all-rounder Ronnie Irani.
He told BBC Radio 2: "Myself, Andrew Flintoff and one or two others were at Adelaide with the academy and there was a young kid there called Jimmy Anderson. I turned to Nasser Hussain and said he had to get this kid in. He is special, and Nasser said 'They are always good when they are not in the team'.
"But Duncan Fletcher took it on board, he made his debut, took Jayasuriya as his first wicket and the rest is history. The legend was born. He's the best we've ever had. If Darren Gough had stayed fully fit he would have broken all records, and there's Bob Willis, who was exceptional, but Jimmy is the best, no doubt about it."
Latest score: IT Botham 383, JM Anderson 382.
Text 81111
Joel from Luton: Bat till tea. Set the opposition 400+ to win. 4 sessions to tempt the West Indies to go all out for an improbable home win. England to win by tea tomorrow.
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Louis Parry: England need a good start so Stokes and Buttler can attack after lunch, set Windies 450+, game over by lunch tomorrow.
billybunter3rd: Expect Taylor swing ball first session. Need to see off Taylor then expansive batting - don't want to lose 2/3/4 early.
Mike Hoffman: 200 by mid-point of evening session - put the Windies in for 1.5 hours.
Post update
Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special
"We've got a bit of a cloudy start, we had a light shower a few minutes ago but it shouldn't delay the start - the covers are coming off."
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Live now
BBC Radio Test Match Special
Time for Test Match Special to hit the airwaves. They've had some impressive special guests on this week - I wonder if they can top yesterday's visit from the Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, who began by addressing TMS's Caribbean commentary legend Tony Cozier as "Your Excellency"?!
You can listen on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave, and via the BBC Sport website (if you're in the UK - click the audio icon at the top of this page), BBC iPlayer Radio app and BBC Sport app, where you can also sign up for free wicket alerts from your favourite county or international team.
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Richard Jones: Dear Alastair... consider declaring our innings before the lead's 500... we needed 113 overs 1st innings... an hour before tea!
A better over-rate than yesterday might help England too...
Join the debate
So, what should England's target be today, in terms of runs or in terms of time? Should they be considering changes at the top of the order? And most importantly, will the semi-mythical "Seaweed Man" (below) make a reappearance today?
You can email us at tms@bbc.co.uk (with "For Mark Mitchener" in the subject line), text 81111 if you're in the UK, tweet us via #bbccricket or get involved on the BBC Sport Facebook page.
Boycott off the long run...
You'd never accuse TMS summariser Geoffrey Boycott of not being forthright in his views. He's particularly concerned by the form of the openers - as you can see in this video on the BBC Sport website.
"The biggest issue is the captain's not playing well. He's a fine opening batsman with a terrific record. Andrew Strauss [retiring] has left a gap, but with Cook losing form, it's left two problems. With his captaincy, it's three problems. And I wouldn't have picked Trott."
Beware the commentator's curse
Meanwhile, I'm sure there are plenty of discussions raging among fans about the future of opening pair Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott, who both failed with the bat again yesterday.
Captain Cook was the victim of a "commentator's curse" from Michael Vaughan on TMS, who had praised his batting just before he was dismissed.
Listen to Vaughan curse Cook on the BBC 5 live website.
The Agnew verdict
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew feels if England can "get through the first hour with no mistakes", a pre-tea declaration can set up a victory chance for the tourists. He also had praise for spinner James Tredwell.
"Tredwell isn't a flashy sort of bowler, but he bowled beautifully. It was a first-class display of old-fashioned off-spin bowling: he tossed the ball up and varied his pace subtly. His dismissal of Shivnarine Chanderpaul was a particularly fine piece of classical spin bowling: setting the batsman up against a cleverly-set field," Aggers writes.
Read more from Jonathan Agnew's column on the BBC Sport website.
A lesson from Antiguan history
England have been here before - both literally and metaphorically. In 2009, they were in an even more dominant position in the "replacement" Test at the old Antigua Recreation Ground. After three days, they were 312 ahead of West Indies with nine second-innings wickets still standing.
However, the presence of a nightwatchman - controversially sent in late on day three - only served to hold the game up, and the declaration came not long before tea on day four as England set the Windies an imposing 503 to win.
What happened on day five? England ran out of time trying to bowl them out, and the last pair ensured a draw. Looking at the scorecard, it seems unfathomable now that Sulieman Benn was batting as high as nine... Anyway, today's first lesson: do not delay your declaration too long.
Post update
Afternoon, everyone. We're half-an-hour away from the start of day four in Antigua, where England have the chance to turn a strong position into a winning position against an out-of-sorts West Indies side.
England are 116-3 in their second innings - but a first-innings lead of 104 makes them "net" 220-3 in a one-innings match with two full days remaining. Despite a traditional top-order wobble, Gary Ballance (44) and Joe Root (32) have added 64 and are cooking with gas.
A winning position? First - a lesson from history.