The pendulum swung back towards England on the third day of the first Test against West Indies as the tourists took a 28-run first-innings lead on Saturday.

Chris Gayle and Devon Smith survived 3.2 overs in fading light as West Indies closed another rain-interrupted day on eight for no wicket, still 20 runs behind England, for whom Nasser Hussain and Mark Butcher both hit 58 in their total of 339.

Fast bowlers Tino Best and Fidel Edwards took three wickets apiece for West Indies, who conceded 60 extras, including 18 no balls and 28 leg byes.

After more than 90 minutes were lost to rain on the second day, only 58.1 overs were possible on Saturday.

West Indies suffered two injury problems, captain Brian Lara sitting out the first session to protect the little finger on his right hand that was dislocated while fielding on Friday, while Edwards was forced off the field with a strained side.

Between the showers England, resuming on 154 for three, had the best of the early exchanges as Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe edged their side towards West Indies total of 311.

Hussain passed 50 for the 31st time in Tests from 137 balls but the introduction of Best changed the mood.

In only his second Test, Best showed real pace and aggression as he grabbed his first Test wicket by having Thorpe caught at fine leg off a top-edged hook for 19, and repeated the feat when Hussain was caught off a leading edge at short extra cover.

Andrew Flintoff looked completely at ease as he rolled along at a run a ball but just when it looked like he would cut loose he succumbed.

Lara brought on part-time leg-spinner Ramnaresh Sarwan and the move worked perfectly as Flintoff tried to lift him over the infield and was caught at mid-wicket, his 46 runs coming from 50 balls.

Wicketkeeper Chris Read and Ashley Giles dug in but West Indies took the new ball, gave it to Best, and Read fell immediately for 20, skying the ball to square leg after failing to get into position for a hook.

Best, who finished with three for 72, Corey Collymore and Adam Sanford peppered the tail with more short stuff and Giles and Matthew Hoggard rode their luck to put England ahead.

Giles fell for 27, bowled off his pads by Sanford, Jones gave Ryan Hinds his first Test wicket by skying the spinner to cover for seven, and Steve Harmison struck a few lusty blows before being needlessly run out for 13, leaving Hoggard unbeaten on nine.

West Indies opener Chris Gayle struck one sweet boundary before bad light ended the day prematurely.

Scoreboard:

West Indies first innings 311 (D.Smith 108, R.Hinds 84)

England first innings (overnight 154-3)
M.Trescothick b Edwards 7
M.Vaughan c Lara b Edwards 15
M.Butcher c Jacobs b Edwards 58
N.Hussain c sub b Best 58
G.Thorpe c Sanford b Best 19
A.Flintoff c Hinds b Sarwan 46
C.Read c Hinds b Best 20
A.Giles b Sanford 27
M.Hoggard not out 9
S.Jones c Sanford b Hinds 7
S.Harmison run out 13

Extras (b-7 lb-28 w-7 nb-18) 60

Total (all out, 103.2 overs) 339

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-33, 3-152, 4-194, 5-209, 6-268, 7-278, 8-313, 9-325.

Bowling: Collymore 26-7-55-0 (nb-9), Edwards 19.3-3-72-3 (nb-7 w-2), Best 19-1-57-3 (nb-1 w-4), Sanford 22-1-90-1 (nb-1 w-1), Hinds 11.5-2-18-1, Gayle 1-0-6-0, Sarwan 4-1-6-1

West Indies second innings
C.Gayle not out 8
D.Smith not out 0

Extras 0

Total (for no wicket, 3.2 overs) 8

Bowling: Hoggard 2-0-8-0, Harmison 1.2-1-0-0.