Even West Indies' limpet left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul had bleak prospects of blocking England's victory course in the first Investec Test.

West Indies clawed their way back into the first test on day three at Lord's, taking four wickets in today's morning session to reduce England to 341-7, a lead of 98.

The Windies failed to gain the same help from the conditions that their opponents did the previous day and the England captain stroked an undefeated 121 to lead his side to 259 for three, replying to the visitors’ first innings total of 243, when bad light ended the second day at Lord’s two deliveries into the second new ball.

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Paul Horton produced some belated defiance on behalf of beleaguered Lancashire but there does not seem much hope that the 2011 champions can avoid a fourth defeat of the season without more of the gloom that came to their aid last night when the light closed in nine overs early.

There is something special about the Saturday of a Lord's Test match, something so tangibly English that it would serve no less than the Henley Regatta or Royal Ascot as an illustration to a passing extraterrestrial of what a curious breed we are.

There was relief and there was elation. The whole ground rose in celebration, the dressing room balcony was full to bursting as the ball seared to the boundary yesterday evening. At last, Andrew Strauss had the elusive century that he and the nation craved.

When Andrew Strauss discussed the summer ahead, the word "improvement" came up regularly in conversation. The captain's first century since November 2010 underpinned an authoritative batting performance but England's return to form merely proved what most suspected: with pace on the ball, this top five is as powerful as any.