Robert Key, after reaching 50 on the fifth day of the third Test, at Old Trafford on Monday. (AFP)

London: Robert Key hit an unbeaten 93 to take England to a seven-wicket win over the West Indies on day five of the third Test on Monday, securing a 3-0 lead in the four-match series.

Key steadied England after a poor start, chasing 231 to win on a misbehaving Old Trafford pitch to hand the hosts their ninth Test win in 10 matches, their best performance since 1978/79.

“We knew that one player had to get in and see us home and Robert Key has done that fantastically,” England captain Michael Vaughan said.

“To be honest we did not play that well but in last two days we have shown a lot of fighting spirit. But you have got to give the West Indies a lot of credit for the way they have played in this game.”

Andrew Flintoff played some risky pull shots but added a crucial unbeaten 57, including two sixes and the winning run on his home ground.

He came in at number five ahead of Graham Thorpe, who broke a finger and is in doubt for the next Test but was named Man-of-the-Match for his battling 114 in England’s first innings. Uncapped Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell has been called into England squad as cover for the injured Thorpe.

Michael Vaughan helped give England the initiative after lunch when the outcome of the match was still in doubt, playing some trademark cover drives following an eight-over rain break.

He fell victim to extravagant bounce when a Chris Gayle off break leapt up and he could only fend a catch to Brian Lara at slip for 33.

Otherwise the West Indies bowlers lacked penetration on a day they needed to be consistent, having found themselves in their first possible winning position of the series.

West Indies had begun on 161 for nine but Steve Harmison dismissed Edwards in the third over of the morning to finish with figures of four for 44, his best return of the series.

Meanwhile, Brian Lara became the fastest batsman to score 10,000 Test runs when he scored seven runs against England on Monday.

Lara reached the landmark in his 111th Test and 195th innings.

But Lara, who became the fourth batsman to reach the milestone, played down his feat. “It is good to achieve but at the end of the day we have not won this Test match. I thought we played really well,” he said. (Reuters)