England are saved by the Bell

Having cruised to an innings victory at Headingley last week, few cricket watchers expected anything but comfortable progress towards another comprehensive triumph to wrap up the series in the third npower Test.

But on a fast and bouncy surface reminiscent of the one upon which England completed an innings triumph over Pakistan a year ago, it took another determined performance from Bell to prevent the tourists taking all the positives from the opening day.

Bell top-scored with an unbeaten 77 having battled for over three and a half hours and guided England to 296 for seven at the close after West Indies' attack, severely criticised for their performance at Headingley, responded with their best performance of the series so far.

Having won the toss and decided to bat first, England would have hoped to have secured a greater advantage, but had to overcome the loss of Andrew Strauss in the third over when he was lbw to Jerome Taylor for six.

Michael Vaughan set about laying the foundation for a significant first innings total and brought up the 50 partnership with Alastair Cook in only 39 balls, enjoying such superiority over the mis-firing West Indies attack, which had been reinforced with the greater pace of Fidel Edwards, that England cruised to 76 for one in only 15 overs and 112 for one by lunch.

But Vaughan fell just four overs after lunch, bowled by a delivery from Corey Collymore which seamed back into him and Kevin Pietersen lasted only six overs before being tempted into hooking a short ball from Collymore which found the safe hands of Dwayne Bravo in the deep.

All-rounder Dwayne Bravo also claimed a smart low catch in the gully three overs later after Cook mis-timed an attempted cut having battled for nearly three hours for his 60, before Taylor continued England's collapse by earning a fortuitous lbw decision against Paul Collingwood to leave England struggling on 166 for five when Matt Prior arrived at the crease to join Bell.

Together the pair added a crucial 98 runs during a partnership spanning 25 overs which before Prior's attacking instincts got the better of him and having already hit Bravo for a boundary off the previous ball he attempted to pull the next delivery and was caught in the deep for 40.

His demise opened up the tail and just six overs after West Indies had taken the new ball, Edward's extra pace broke the defences of Liam Plunkett to knock out his middle stump, leaving Steve Harmison with the resilient Bell at stumps.