James Anderson
James Anderson took six wickets on day two of the third test but England face a struggle to achieve a positive result. Getty Images

James Anderson claimed figures of 6-42 for England, but the tourists left themselves in a difficult situation in the third and final test against West Indies after suffering a late batting collapse on an extraordinary second day in Barbados.

18 wickets in total fell before the close of play at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, with England resuming their first innings on 240-7 before a clinical spell from paceman Jerome Taylor quickly accounted for Chris Jordan, Stuart Broad and Anderson for just 17 additional runs.

In response, West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite was bowled for a duck by Anderson, who surpassed Ian Botham as England's leading test-wicket taker during the first match of the series in Antigua. Shai Hope was caught by Alastair Cook soon after to leave the hosts flagging badly at 5-2.

Marlon Samuels was then trapped lbw by Anderson for nine, before Darren Bravo trudged back to the pavilion having been caught by Jordan off the bowling of Moeen Ali with just the third delivery after lunch.

Veteran blocker Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 25 but fell victim to yet another impressive catch from Jordan at slip during an over from Joe Root. Jermaine Blackwood helped to steady the ship somewhat with an impressive 85, but the hosts were reduced to 107-6 when Denesh Ramdin edged a Broad ball behind through to Jos Buttler.

Holder suffered a similar fate for Ben Stokes' only wicket of the day and there was a brief period of respite for the West Indies before Veerasammy Permaul was caught by substitute fielder Adam Lyth for 18 off Anderson.

Taylor was next to depart for 15 after being clean bowled by the irrepressible Anderson and Phil Simmons' side were all out for 187 after Ali took a good long catch to give the Burnley native his sixth wicket.

Having made impressively light work of the West Indies attack, England might have been expected to drive home the advantage as they took to the field for their second innings but they were quickly unsettled as Jonathan Trott continued his disappointing first senior tour back in the international arena after falling to Taylor lbw for nine.

Just two more runs were added before captain Cook, whose century yesterday was his first for his country since May 2013, failed to build any further momentum after being caught by Braithwaite for just four off the bowling of Shannon Gabriel.

Reeling at 13-2, England lost another wicket soon afterward as Ian Bell became Taylor's next lbw victim having yet to register a single run. The decision was upheld after a speculative referral and Joe Root was then dismissed for one as he attempted to dispatch a Holder delivery but instead edged to the waiting Bravo.

The final wicket of an entertaining day fell when Ali was bowled by Gabriel to leave England, leading by 107 on 39-5, in serious trouble heading into a potentially decisive day three that will begin with Gary Ballance and Stokes at the crease on scores of 12 and 0 respectively.