Ramnaresh Sarwan, who top-scored with 63, in action on Day I of the third Test in Bridgetown on Thursday. (Reuters)

Bridgetown: The West Indies’ young quartet of fast bowlers led a strong fightback on Day II of the third Test against England on Friday as the home side enjoyed one of their best sessions of the series.

Replying to a modest total of 224, England resumed on 20 for one, but lost Mark Butcher (5), skipper Michael Vaughan (17) and Nasser Hussain (17) as they limped to 73 for four at lunch.

Graham Thorpe was batting on 23 but Fidel Edwards was the main destroyer for West Indies, removing Butcher and Vaughan to add to the wicket of Marcus Trescothick from Day I.

Trailing 0-2 in the four-match series and having lost their last seven wickets for 57 on the opening day, Edwards and Tino Best gave West Indies something to shout about.

Things began badly for West Indies when Best was denied the wicket of Vaughan for 12, Ramnaresh Sarwan spilling a simple chance at second slip.

But the 22-year-old Edwards, who missed the second Test because of a side strain, got his first wicket of the day soon after when Butcher tried to cut a bouncing delivery only to edge it straight to Chris Gayle at first slip.

New batsman Hussain was subjected to an onslaught from Edwards and Best, the former England captain fortunate to survive when a thick edge went through the vacant slip cordon.

As Hussain became bogged down, Vaughan was denied much of the strike and the captain’s impatience got the better of him when he edged an attempted pull off Edwards to Ridley Jacobs, leaving England 33 for three.

Thorpe, England’s top scorer in the second Test, again looked in good form, working the singles and punishing the rare bad ball, while Hussain again battled in dogged fashion.

But just as the pair looked set to see England through to lunch, Hussain played round a straight ball from Corey Collymore and was bowled.

Andrew Flintoff, the hero of Day I with five wickets for 58, was unbeaten on four at lunch.

Flintoff’s career-best hual ensured the hosts were all out for 224, their last seven wickets falling for 57.

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit half-centuries.

While strike bowler Steve Harmison stole the headlines in Jamaica and Trinidad, it was Flintoff’s turn to excel as the touring side edged closer to their first series win in the Caribbean since 1968 in front of a crowd dominated by English chants.

“It took a while,” grinned Flintoff after his first five-wicket haul in his 32nd Test. “Hopefully I can kick on from here.

“It was quite embarrassing, leading the team off.”

The Lancashire all rounder said: “I think Lara was the one. It was nice to get (five wickets) and I think we needed it today as well. Lara and (Ramnaresh) Sarwan looked like they were going to get big scores, so it was pretty important.”

In his 32nd Test, Flintoff took five wickets for only the second time in his first-class career and admitted that it had been a long time in coming.

“It’s not for the want of trying. I try hard every time I go out there,” he said.

Flintoff has been considered one of the unluckiest of England’s bowlers and he was again the victim of dropped catches before finishing off the West Indies innings.

“That’s cricket,” he said. “Fielding in the slips is probably the hardest place to be. I’m having a bit of a purple patch in catching them at the moment, but I’ve dropped some in my time.”

Flintoff said England’s entire pace attack should take credit for his haul. “When you bowl behind someone like Harmy (Steve Harmison), it’s great — I think anyone in the world would like to do that at the moment.”

“It’s fantastic to bowl behind Harmy, Oggy (Matthew Hoggard) and (Simon) Jones — and hopefully now we can get some runs tomorrow and cash in.”

West Indies made another poor, if unfortunate, start as openers Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga fell for six and 11, respectively, both victims of questionable lbw decisions.

(Reuters)