Graeme Swann struck it rich in Antigua to give England a glorious chance of cashing in against West Indies and levelling the series.

Despite joking about spending money on pink Ferraris if he won a million dollars in last November's Stanford Twenty20 game, Swann has always made it plain he would not swap anything for the chance to shine as a Test cricketer.

Now, on a pitch which was supposed to be more in favour of quick bowlers, off-spinner Swann has captured his first five-wicket haul at the highest level to leave England firmly in charge of the Third Test after dismissing West Indies for 285.

Swann was not supposed to play in Antigua and did not feature in the team picked for last Friday's hastily-abandoned game at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium.

But switching to the Recreation ground gave him another chance to impress captain Andrew Strauss - and he took it.

“I've always had a thing about bowling as well as you can to the captain in the nets whenever he bats,” said Swann, who finished yesterday with five for 57 from 24 overs as the home team crumbled to concede a massive first-innings lead of 281.

“Luckily for me the captain is a left-hander — and West Indies are riddled with them — so I suppose that played into my hands a little.”

Swann was duly picked ahead of left-armer Monty Panesar when the Third Test began on Sunday morning. And although he gained only occasional sharp turn, his variation of flight and excellent control proved more than enough against batsmen who lost patience.

Devon Smith gave it away by trying to slog across the line, Ramnaresh Sarwan also perished, when six short of a century, after trying a big hit and Denesh Ramdin poked a return catch. Add the wickets of Daren Powell and Sulieman Benn and Swann was one happy man.

“The first time I bowled in a Test [he took two wickets in his first over against India in December] was a special feeling and this was pretty nice,” said Swann.

With fast bowlers Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff righting sickness and a sore hip respectively, England were never going to enforce the follow on.

But despite losing Strauss for 14 early in their second innings, they resume work 312 ahead with two days to finish the job.