Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the field after taking six wickets at Lord's

KEY POINTS

  • Hosts close day one of the decisive third Test against West Indies trailing by 77 runs on 46-4.
  • Mark Stoneman, Alastair Cook, Tom Westley and Joe Root all depart before stumps.
  • Stokes had earlier taken 6-22 to bowl tourists out for just 123.

England lost four quick wickets to take the shine off Ben Stokes' stellar bowling performance as the hosts closed day one of the decisive third and final Test against West Indies at Lord's trailing by 77 runs.

In worrying signs for coach Trevor Bayliss in his side's final five-day match before the latest Ashes series, the top order fared no better than their West Indies' counterparts on a nightmare day for batsmen in northwest London.

Mark Stoneman [1] failed to build on his maiden Test 50 at Headingley as he foolishly poked at a wide delivery from Kemar Roach and was caught behind by Shane Dowrich.

The same duo then accounted for opening partner Alastair Cook [10], who edged behind off a much more dangerous delivery.

Tom Westley's [8] hopes of securing a seat on the plane to Australia this winter then took another sizable hit after Joe Root decided against reviewing a successful lbw appeal from fellow captain Jason Holder.

Root himself added just one solitary run before being dismissed courtesy of an impressive slip catch from Kieran Powell. Dawid Malan and Stokes had both reached 13 before play was halted due to bad light with England on 46-4 from 19 overs.

England had earlier taken firm control of the match after Durham firebrand Stokes finished with career-best figures of 6-22 to bowl West Indies out for just 123. James Anderson is now only one dismissal away from his 500th in Test cricket after accounting for both Kraigg Brathwaite and Kyle Hope, while Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones - in for Chris Woakes - also took a pair of wickets. Powell's 39 was the highest score of the match so far.

"We've done extremely well to bowl them out but we've lost two wickets we didn't want to," Stokes told Sky Sports. "It's a difficult pitch to play on - it swung all day and it seamed around. We would have liked to have one or two wickets down. This is a place where you're proud if you get your name on the honours board. It's pleasing to do well and contribute to bowling them out for a low score.

"The ball was swinging when I was bowling in the warm-ups so it wasn't too surprising but the way that the other lads bowled, I don't think the Windies managed to hit the ball that much so it stayed in very good condition."

England thrashed West Indies by an innings and 209 runs in last month's opening day-night clash at Edgbaston, but were beaten in the second meeting after Shai Hope became the first batsman ever to hit centuries in both innings of the same first-class match at Headingley to help the visitors successfully chase down a daunting target of 322.

West Indies have not won a Test series on English soil since 1988.