By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent in Trinidad

England were indebted to two key partnerships for their position at the end of day three which, on this pitch, is potentially commanding.

Best accounted for both Butcher and Hussain

First, from 8-2, Mark Butcher and Nasser Hussain extended their stand to 120 for the third wicket.

Crucially they steered England through a difficult morning in which the West Indies badly needed to strike.

No chances were offered, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul must still be rueing the slip catch he let through his fingers on the second day when Butcher had made only 20.

In the end, Butcher was unlucky to be given out caught behind for 61.

The persevering Tino Best flung a wide ball outside the off stump that Butcher chased, but appeared to miss by some distance.

If England's lead can be extended to 150 on the fourth morning, it is hard to see the West Indies batting line up being able to hold out

Umpire Bowden raised his crooked finger, presumably deceived by a large puff of dust that appeared when the ball hit the pitch.

Best then took the second new ball, and this gave the West Indies one more chance to get back into the game.

He splattered Hussain's stumps after the former captain had faced 213 balls for his 58, and this gave the West Indies an opening.

Flintoff quickly hit his way to 23 in an entertaining duel with Best, but Dwayne Smith had him caught and bowled as he aimed to tuck a ball away into the leg side.

Chris Read was soon on his way, lbw for three to Pedro Collins and the third wicket to fall for 44 runs.

Thorpe took a painful blow on the wrist from Best's beamer

With England only 22 ahead, Brian Lara would have been hoping to have wrapped up the innings with merely an inconvenient lead, rather than an imposing one.

Graham Thorpe dug in, although he was struck a horrible blow on the hand by a Best beamer.

The bowler quickly apologised and the incident ended in smiles, but Best's aim is not always trustworthy - earlier he hurled a ball straight to a startled first slip's right hand!

In Ashley Giles, Thorpe found an ideal partner, and by stumps the pair had put on 70 crucial runs to extend England's lead to 92.

If that can be extended to 150 on the fourth morning, it is hard to see the West Indies batting line up - already under intense scrutiny - being able to hold out.