Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich drove England to despair in the first Test at Bridgetown, sharing an unbroken 229-run stand across two wicketless sessions on day three.

Bowled out for 77 in a miserable first innings, the tourists were batted out of the game as Holder's imperious 155 not out steered the lead to a colossal 561.

Dowrich was a little slower than his seventh-wicket partner but no less in control and was set to resume his innings on 97 after tea, with the hosts on 349 for six.

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 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 the bowling of part-timer Keaton Jennings, and Ben Foakes unable to gather after flinging himself at a half-chance down leg-side.