Jason Holder’s brilliant double hundred and a superb century from Shane Dowrich made England’s bowlers toil for two-and-a-half wicketless sessions as the Windies enjoyed total domination. Here's all you need to know from day three in Barbados…
The Report
Windies captain Jason Holder struck a career-best 202 not out from the No 8 spot to grind England's toiling bowlers into the dirt in Barbados and set the tourists a world-record 628 for victory, writes David Ruse.
The 27-year-old shared a mammoth unbeaten stand of 295 with Shane Dowrich (116no) - the highest seventh-wicket stand by any nation against England - as Joe Root's side went wicketless, a day after 18 had tumbled at Kensington Oval and the visitors were skittled for 77.
Holder declared immediately after passing 200 from 229 balls with a boundary off part-time seamer Keaton Jennings - his total the third best by a Test No 8, behind only Pakistan duo Wasim Akram (257no) and Imtiaz Ahmed (209) - with Windies on 415-6 and leading by 627 runs.
Rory Burns, on Burns Night, progressed to 39no by stumps after compiling eight boundaries, with opening partner Jennings unbeaten on 11 as England reached 56-0 on a completely unsuccessful day for bowlers.
Moment of the Day
Having smashed the England attack all round the park for much of the day, Holder finally put them out of their misery 45 minutes into the evening session after one final, and rather meaningful, boundary.
That effortless pull shot brought up Holder's 200, a special moment for the Windies skipper on his home ground and one that he celebrated accordingly.
On top of a maiden double ton in Test cricket, Holder also hit eight sixes, a record for a West Indian in an innings against England. For all the Windies' struggles in recent years, they may well possess the world's leading all-rounder given the captain's performances over the past year or so.
Stats of the Day
The 295-run partnership between Holder and Dowrich was the highest seventh-wicket stand against England in Test history.
Talking Point
If day one raised the question and day two made it all the more pertinent, day three surely gave a comprehensive answer to whether or not England have got their team selection right for this Test match.
After 18 wickets on the second day, England went wicketless for more than two sessions with James Anderson and Ben Stokes forced to charge in over after over as Joe Root attempted to gain a small morsel of control, with Dowrich and, in particular, Holder scoring freely.
Sam Curran was largely ineffective while there was minimal turn for Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid to work with. Root himself was comfortably England's most effective spinner on day three and that Rashid bowled just nine of 103 overs in the Windies innings suggests the captain knows he and his side misread the surface in Bridgetown.
The rapturous applause from the England supporters in the crowd when Stuart Broad came on as a substitute fielder made their feelings on the team selection abundantly clear.
What they said
JASON HOLDER: "It was a good day! It was very challenging up front, both Jimmy and Stokesy made us play at lots of deliveries. But to bat past tea and form the partnership that we did was really pleasing. Friends and family were here to really enjoy it.
"It was something I really wanted to achieve from the start of my career, I was fortunate to make my debut here in front of my home crowd. I've made four or five half-centuries here since then so it was just about converting one of those into a hundred. I finally did that and then made it a double!"
ALEC STEWART: "It was brilliant and I'm really pleased for Jason Holder. As cricket fans, you want to see people who have worked hard get rewarded because he's carried West Indies cricket for a period of time since putting the captain's armband on.
"It hasn't been straightforward for him because of what happens off the field, players make themselves unavailable but today he was able to express his full array of shots. He hit the spinners downtown, he was quick on anything short from the seamers and then, when he was able to celebrate, he certainly did!"
PAUL COLLINGWOOD: "It is incredible how a pitch can change in 24 hours as much as it has. 18 wickets yesterday, that ball was seriously seaming around, there was a lot of movement out there.
"Today no wickets in a full day of cricket. England are going to need some seriously good batting going forward but at least it will give them some hope that you can get in on this wicket and build some big partnerships and take a lot of time out of the game."
Tweets of the Day
Watch day four of the first Test between Windies and England live on Sky Sports Cricket from 1.30pm on Saturday.