West Indies v England, day four LIVE scorecard

Jimmy Anderson propelled England towards an emphatic final Test victory today by regaining the missing swing that has seen him have a rare quiet time in a series already lost by England.

Anderson took three quick wickets after England had added 36 runs in 25 minutes this morning before Joe Root declared on 361 for five after he had been dismissed by Shannon Gabriel.

It was Gabriel who sparked off a row here on the third day when he became embroiled in a verbal duel with the England captain that ended with root appearing to say ‘there’s nothing wrong with being gay.’

That reaction has brought worldwide praise from Root and looks certain to end with an ICC charge against Gabriel but for the moment the England captain could reflect on a momentous 16th Test hundred that was ended when he had made 122.

Root waited until he had almost left the field before calling Ben Stokes, who remained unbeaten on 48, in and setting West Indies a monumental 485 to win but, slightly more feasibly, try to survive five and a half sessions to try to escape with a draw.

And that immediately became just as unlikely for West Indies when Anderson struck in his first over, forcing John Campbell into a loose drive off his first ball and the third of the innings to offer Moeen Ali a screamer of a catch in the slips.

It was quickly two when West Indies acting captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell to another swinging delivery from the imperious Anderson that he could only steer to Stokes in the slips and England had their third when Anderson forced Darren Bravo into edging to Root.

It could have been even better for England but Jos Buttler, surprisingly fallible in the field without the gloves, dropped his 10th out of 14 chancers since he returned to Test cricket last summer to reprieve Shai Hope before he had scored.

It was hardly a surprise that the unlucky bowler was Stuart Broad, who has had more catches dropped off him than any other bowler in world cricket.

No matter. England’s superiority was emphasised when Mark Wood, the star of the first innings with his first five-wicket haul with some of the fastest bowling seen in years, struck again to have Hope lob the ball towards Broad at cover.

West Indies are floundering at 35 for four at lunch and England remain well on top for the first time in a series they were expected to dominate but lost within seven days when they crashed to heavy defeats in Barbados and Antigua.

They may have found their feet too late to salvage this series but at least they have steered their ship back in the right direction in their final Test ahead of an Ashes summer.