West Indies captain Jason Holder hit a magnificent double-hundred as he and fellow centurion Shane Dowrich left England staring down the barrel of a big defeat in the first Test.
Just 24 hours after skittling England for 77 the hosts condemned their visitors to the indignity of two full wicketless sessions before Holder declared immediately after becoming the third number eight in Test history to score 200.
The unbroken 295-run stand carried the Windies to 415 for six, a massive lead of 627 with just over six-and-a-half sessions left to bat.
Holder finished 202 not out, with 23 fours and eight sixes, with Dowrich unbeaten on 116.
Starting the third morning 339 behind but with ambitions of claiming the last four wickets swiftly enough to begin embarking on an already difficult chase, Joe Root’s side were ground down painfully by the graceful and authoritative Holder and his composed partner.
Twenty-four hours after Kemar Roach reduced the England batting order to rubble, the visiting attack pounded away grimly without success for four hours.
For a reminder of just how remote an away win would now be, it is worth reminding that targets of more than 400 have only ever been successfully chased on four occasions in Test history, with an English record of 332.
A draw is likelier but with nearly seven sessions remaining and Thursday’s psychological scars still fresh that would also require a gargantuan effort.
Holder and Dowrich walked to the middle on seven and 27 respectively and proceeded to pile on 110 care-free runs in the morning’s play.
James Anderson and Ben Stokes looked weary, overworked and under-rested but it was only when their initial burst finished that Holder opened his shoulders with a flurry of boundaries.
The afternoon’s play was hopelessly one-sided, Root at one stage attempting to kill the run-rate by bowling round the wicket into Holder’s pads.
The Windies captain offered two tough opportunities, on 127 and 151, Rory Burns spilling the first running back at cover off part-timer Keaton Jennings, and Ben Foakes unable to gather after flinging himself at a half-chance down leg-side.
Dowrich’s ton and Holder’s double followed in a haze of runs after tea, with an emotional celebration culminating in the declaration.