Graham Thorpe top-scored with an unbeaten 81 to put England into a healthy first-innings lead after day three of the second Test against West Indies on Sunday.

Replying to West Indies' total of 208, Mark Butcher (61) and Nasser Hussain (58) added 120 for the third wicket but England struggled early on before Thorpe took over in the final session to see his side to 300 for six at the close, a lead of 92.

Ashley Giles hit 28 not out in an unbeaten stand of 70 with Thorpe for the seventh wicket, while Tino Best took three for 60 in 25 overs for West Indies.

Thorpe's innings, which included eight fours and a six, put the gloss on what, for two sessions, was a huge struggle between the patience and application of Butcher and Hussain and the discipline and desire of West Indies' fast bowling quartet.

England resumed the day on 54 for two but progress was painstakingly slow and only 143 runs were added before tea.

Hussain, in particular, was beaten all ends up by Best, Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins, fending one lifting delivery from Best just short of the fielder at forward square leg.

Butcher too was made to scrap for every run as, much as in the first Test victory in Jamaica, he and Hussain grafted to stabilise England after a shaky start, the pair having joined forces on Saturday with the score on eight for two.

Butcher passed 50 for the 19th time, including seven boundaries, while former England captain Hussain opened up a little as the morning progressed, their 100 partnership coming up in 47.2 overs as they reached lunch without losing a wicket.

If West Indies were luckless in the morning session, they received a huge slice of fortune after the interval when Billy Bowden made his second poor decision of the match, giving Butcher out.

CONVINCING APPEAL

Having missed Marcus Trescothick's glove to the wicketkeeper late on day two, Bowden, perhaps transfixed by the conviction of the appeal, adjudged Butcher to have edged Best to Ridley Jacobs with the score on 128.

Butcher was clearly disgusted at the decision and television replays showed Bowden was wrong.

The decision brought Thorpe to the crease and though he edged one ball over the slips early on, he looked more comfortable than Hussain, who finally passed 50 for the 32nd time after 183 balls.

Hussain eventually fell for the same score he made in Jamaica, bowled by Best after 353 minutes at the crease, having hit six fours.

Andrew Flintoff's crisp hitting and positive play saw him quickly reach 23 before he was brilliantly caught and bowled by Dwayne Smith.

Chris Read fell leg before wicket to Collins for three but Giles batted well with Thorpe, who survived being hit on the arm by a beamer from Best late on, to reach 50 for the 34th time and extend England's lead.

Scoreboard:

West Indies first innings: 208 (C.Gayle 62; S.Harmison 6-61)

England first innings (overnight 54-2)
M.Trescothick c Sanford b Best 1
M.Vaughan lbw b Collins 0
M.Butcher c Jacobs b Best 61
N.Hussain b Best 58
G.Thorpe not out 81
A.Flintoff c and b Dwayne Smith 23
C.Read lbw b Collins 3
A.Giles not out 28

Extras (b-5 lb-20 w-3 nb-17) 45

Total (for six wickets, 121 overs) 300

Fall of wickets: 1-2 2-8 3-128 4-186 5-218 6-230

To bat: S.Jones, M.Hoggard, S.Harmison.

Bowling: Collins 23-5-66-2, Best 25-5-60-3, Sanford 26-6-60-0, Collymore 24-7-39-0, Dwayne Smith 9-0-30-1, Gayle 13-5-17-0, Sarwan 1-0-3-0.