St. John's, Antigua, Feb. 17: Graeme Swann’s off-spin bowling, rather than the pacemen provided England with two wickets before lunch in the third Test against West Indies on Tuesday. Swann has so far taken two wickets for 17 runs from 11 overs, as West Indies, replying to England’s first innings total of 566/9 declared, reached 132/3 at the interval on the third day at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was not out on 13 and Ryan Hinds was not out on two, after West Indies continued from their bedtime total of 55/1, and lost the scalps of Devon Smith and Daren Powell in the second hour before lunch.

The ARG pitch, as expected, played a few tricks, but England’s bowlers were not accurate enough, and the West Indies’ overnight pair of Devon Smith and night-watchman Daren Powell studiously navigated the first hour. But Swann provided the breakthrough when Smith essayed an ugly-looking slog at a flighted delivery and was bowled by the second ball after the drinks break for 38.

England captain Andrew Strauss continued to rotate his bowlers, particularly the fast bowler from the southern end of the ground in an effort to make use of a ridge in the middle of the pitch which has made batting difficult.

But Swann was allowed to wheel away from the northern end and got his second scalp, when Powell was caught at slip for 22 playing defensively forward in the last 15 minutes before the interval.

The West Indies fast bowler had enormous restraint in a little over two hours spent at the crease before Swann outfoxed him. England trail 0-1 in the series, following an innings and 23-run defeat in the opening Test at Kingston inside four days.

Earlier, Paul Collingwood became the second century-maker in the England first innings when he hit his eighth Test hundred.

Collingwood made 113 and shared three half-century stands along the way that helped to beef-up the England total. Kevin Pietersen scored 51, Stuart Broad made 44, Matt Prior got 39, and Swann was not out on 20.

Jerome Taylor collected two wickets for 73 runs from 28 overs, Fidel Edwards snared two for 75 from 26 overs, and Ryan Hinds poached two for 86 from 22.2 overs.

England’s new-ball pair of James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff then found out what their opponents had learnt about the ARG pitch over the past two days. Flintoff got a few balls to jump from a good length and startle Chris Gayle, but the West Indies captain and fellow left-handed opener Devon Smith had little about which to worry in between.

Steve Harmison replaced Anderson at the northern end for the eighth over of the innings and things started to happen. His second delivery — a no-ball — Gayle blindly hooked over deep fine leg for a six way out of the small ground nestled in the Antigua & Barbuda capital. — AFP

Scores: England 566/9 decl. (Strauss 169, Collingwood 113) vs West Indies 132/3 (Gayle 30, Smith 38, Sarwan batting 13, Harmison 1/33, Swann 2/17)