Image source, Getty Images

Still the new ball remains in the box. Joe Root is still looking to be positive, even as this innings drags slightly - he cuffs Holder behind point for four, but he's furious with himself when he misses out on the next ball, punching his bat in disgust.

Matt: People complaining about the run rate? 3 an over from now will give us a lead of 30-40 by close. Bash things around a bit on day 4 and we're potentially 200-250 in the lead mid-afternoon/tea. Then see if we can take 10 wickets. Honestly, there's plenty of time left in this game, Test cricket has been played this way for decades and it seems if people are just complaining for the sake of complaining now.

The new ball is available, but West Indies aren't taking it yet - Samuels continues. Root and Ballance creep further towards the West Indies total with a couple of singles.

Stephen Price: Perception a funny thing - Root's career strike rate is the same as Trott's at 47.

Paul Jarvis: Why do the media hound Alastair Cook? He's hardly likely to play any better, is he. He's scoring 50s, but not 100s. Big Deal!

Jason Holder replaces Bishoo for what could be the last over before the new ball. The West Indies have rather lost the zest that they had earlier in this session when those two wickets fell, blunted by a dogged, redoubtable stand from Root and Ballance. Holder shows the frustration in the Windies ranks by hurling the ball back in Joe Root's direction from a forward push.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

"It was around this time yesterday when Broad had a really good spell. This is a very important time for the West Indies, they cannot allow this England pair to take the game away from there."

That was Bishoo's 22nd over on the trot - mammoth spell for the leggie. Samuels is milked for a couple of singles.

The West Indies bowlers are in a bit of a holding pattern here, but Joe Root is alive to the situation. He's not missing out on a short ball from Denesh Ramdin, snapping quickly into position and strong-arming him through midwicket. Bishoo is flagging and when he overpitches this time Root puts him away again, whipping it off his toes through mid-on for another four.

Marlon Samuels is going to have a dart for the West Indies before the new ball. He had a few run-ins with the England fielders during his century innings. He finds the footmarks immediately, but Ballance drops his hands and smothers well. A maiden.

Matt Genner: For goodness sake, how are people still banging on about KP? He's yesterdays news. Get over it and move on! Support the team!

Sam Hollis: In years to come this Test will be the example they show of the death of Test cricket. Dull, slow, neither team wanting to win.

In fact Bishoo continues. He's an accurate bowler, with a high, curving trajectory and a subtle change of pace. He hasn't troubled Ballance so far though, who works a single to midwicket. Time for drinks.

Richard: I wish people would stop moaning about the slow run rate. Starting slowly and not losing wickets gives you the foundation to accelerate later on without being under score board pressure. If for example you go three an over for 50 overs and then 6 an over for 10 overs it leaves you with 210 on the board after 60, an overall run rate of 3.5 which is very much acceptable. Lose wickets early and then the middle order are immediately under pressure. If you want to see quick scoring and boundaries, go and watch IPL.

This has been a curious series so far for Kemar Roach - he came into it ranked in the ICC's top 10 Test bowlers, but we've seen him carry little threat and often bowl defensively.

That seems to be the order of the day at the moment, with Roach content to lob it down wide of the off stump. In fairness, when he does get a little straighter, Root clips him sweetly off his legs for four. West Indies waiting for the new ball at the moment, you feel - it's five overs away.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"I am not surprised with the number of boundaries going up on the last few overs since Joe Root has come in. He often raises the scoring rate and it also gets his partner to go after more poor balls too."

For a while this England innings was congealing like a blob of egg yolk on a crisp white shirt-front, but Gary Ballance is just beginning to raise the tempo here. Bishoo just gives one a bit too much air, allowing Ballance to get the pitch and drive sweetly off his toes for four. It looks like that could be the end of Bishoo for the time being.

Lewis in Epsom: I'm sorry but England bat so negatively. There is a certain individual waiting at Surrey who would be ideal in this situation. Cook, Trott are not what we need at the top of the order. Is Cook a better player as captain? I think not! We need KP for the Ashes if we are going to want momentum!

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Sturdy, dependable, ruddy-cheeked Gary Ballance strikes me as the ideal man for a mini-crisis - the sort of man you could rely on to mend a tractor, or fix a leaky pub roof. He continues the repair job on this England innings with a lovely, flowing cover drive for four off Kemar Roach.

Owen's Breakfast: Is it just perception, or do English batsmen play onto their own stumps more than others? Was wondering even before Bell went.

John M Butt: Cook has done his job as did Trott. They saw of the new ball and set a good platform. Give them a rest they have done well.

Francis Keepfer: I was there when Cook scored his last century...starting to think it might be my fault. Would anyone like to fly me to Grenada?

England haven't been put off playing square of the wicket by those dismissals - in fact it's been their most productive scoring area in the past few overs. Root picks up another boundary with a cut-shot through point.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"It must be unique for the England team to actually be in St George's on St George's Day."