Ian Bell closed in on a battling seventh Test hundred as England reached 296 for seven on the first day of the third Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Both teams enjoyed good periods as England, after winning the toss, reached 112 for one at lunch. West Indies, recovering from their record Test defeat at Leeds, hit back with four wickets in the afternoon session when England managed just 55 runs.
Bell's effort of 77 not out from 150 balls ensured England recovered from 166 for five to a relatively competitive total on a pitch that is offering some pace and bounce to the quicker bowlers.
England, 1-0 up in the four-match series after drawing at Lord's and winning at Headingley, are seeking to claim a series-clinching victory before next week's fourth Test in Durham.
Alastair Cook (60) and captain Michael Vaughan (41) appeared to be taking England towards a dominant position after the loss of Andrew Strauss in the third over for six. Strauss is now without a half-century in 14 Test innings.
Vaughan showed no signs of distraction despite being embroiled in controversy over a newspaper interview this week and seemed to relish the adversity.
He received a polite, if not a raucous, reception from the Lancashire crowd after criticising team mate and local favourite Andrew Flintoff in The Guardian newspaper on Tuesday.
MISERLY COLLYMORE
West Indies hit back hard after lunch when Corey Collymore bowled Vaughan with a ball that nipped back off the seam to make it 117 for two and that became 132 for four when Kevin Pietersen and Cook fell without a run being added.
Pietersen, after scoring 109 and 226 in the first two Tests, was caught on the square leg boundary by Dwayne Bravo while hooking medium-pacer Collymore.
Cook then failed to keep a square cut down and was well caught in the gully by Bravo off debutant seamer Darren Sammy, who claimed the first wicket by a player from St. Lucia.
England slumped to 166 for five when Paul Collingwood was lbw to Jerome Taylor, who had also removed Strauss in the same fashion.
West Indies prospered from a continued patient approach of accurate bowling, exemplified by Collymore's miserly second spell of two for nine from six overs. The wicket of Matt Prior, caught hooking for 40, in the final hour evened the contest.
Recalled fast bowler Fidel Edwards went without reward for much of the day but bowled Liam Plunkett with the new ball in his penultimate over for a deserved wicket.
England played the same team that won the second Test by an innings and 283 runs, while West Indies made three changes. Sammy, Edwards and Shivnarine Chanderpaul replaced Sylvester Joseph, Daren Powell and injured skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan.
