Kevin Pietersen ended his wait for a century in Port of Spain today as England went in search of a cricketing miracle to win the final Test and save the series.

Pietersen produced his famous switch hit on the way to three figures but Matt Prior was even more aggressive while West Indies went ultra defensive and resorted to time wasting in an attempt to safeguard their 1-0 lead.

Keeper Prior has had a tough time behind the stumps in this match, conceding countless byes. But he has been top class in front of them, scoring 131 not out in the first innings and then outstripping even Pietersen today as England's lead rose rapidly above 200.

The Sussex player romped to 61 from 48 balls before being bowled trying to lift seamer Lionel Baker over mid-wicket. But the partnership with Pietersen was worth 106 from 14 overs.

By then, Pietersen was into the 90s. And, having missed out in Jamaica by three runs, he made no mistake today — completing his first century of the series from 88 balls as England reached 229 for five, 231 ahead.

With the pitch showing no real signs of deteriorating, West Indies remained hot favourites to secure their first series win over anybody for nearly five years.

But whatever the outcome at Queen's Park Oval — and despite the fact that England have only themselves to blame for playing catch up after they were routed for 51 in Jamaica a month ago — Andrew Strauss's men are at least finishing with a flourish.

They bowled with great heart yesterday and then, today, were determined to put West Indies under as much pressure as possible, despite the hosts predictably slowing down the over-rate and setting far flung fields.

Pietersen swept his first ball of the day, from spinner Ryan Hinds, for four to set the right tone. Then Prior took up the challenge after Paul Collingwood had chipped a gentle return catch to Hinds via the leading edge.

West Indies had eight men on the boundary by now. But no-one could stop Pietersen's switch hit before Prior drove, swept and clipped Hinds for three fours in an over.

That onslaught helped the pair to add 52 from 39 deliveries, and when fours would not come they settled for sprinting ones and twos.

Prior's innings, which included eight fours, came to and end 25 minutes before lunch. But Pietersen kept going with Broad for fresh company.

Monty Panesar, meanwhile, has been fined around £1,500 for going over the top with his appeals during England's desperate attempt to win in Trinidad.

The excitable spinner, who has been ticked off before by umpires but never punished, was hauled before International Cricket Council match referee Alan Hurst last night after being charged with excessive appealing earlier in the Test.

Australian Hurst found Panesar guilty, fined him 25 per cent of his match fee and said: “Monty Panesar is a very enthusiastic and exuberant bowler and there is nothing wrong with that but on this occasion he has gone too far.”

Hurst decided debut-maker Amjad Khan committed the same offence but he let the rookie seamer off with a reprimand.

A third England player, Broad, was also in the dock last night — not for apparently disputing a decision by umpire Daryl Harper to call him for a wide but for comments made about the officials' performance in Trinidad.

Hurst, however, found the 22-year-old pacemen not guilty, saying he had not breached the ICC's code of conduct.