A record partnership between Mark Butcher and Nasser Hussain helped England reach 154 for three at the end of a rain-hit second day of the first Test against the West Indies.

Having finished off the West Indies for 311 inside the day's first two overs, England lost both openers to the fiery pace of Fidel Edwards, but Butcher and Hussain added 119 in a record third-wicket stand between the two sides at Sabina Park.

Butcher, who only passed a fitness test on his injured ankle on the eve of the match, was dropped twice but batted well before finally becoming Edwards' third victim, caught behind for 58 just before the close.

Hussain was on 41 at the close, while Graham Thorpe was not out one. Edwards finished with figures of three for 50.

The West Indies also suffered an injury blow with captain Brian Lara dislocating the little finger on his right hand when he dropped Butcher just before the close.

Lara is to have a precautionary x-ray on the injury, but it is not yet known if he will be able to bat in the second innings.

Having failed to add to their overnight total of 311 for nine when Edwards was superbly caught by Andrew Flintoff at second slip to give Matthew Hoggard his third wicket, the West Indies hit back with some spirited fast bowling.

England captain Michael Vaughan cracked one trademark cover drive for four, but both openers struggled against the pace of Edwards and Corey Collymore, the latter having a confident leg-before appeal against the England captain turned down.

EXTREME PACE

Edwards always looked the most dangerous and after ripping a bouncer past Trescothick's head, he fired the next one in at more than 150 kph and the opener, on the back foot, got an inside edge onto his stumps to be out for seven.

Butcher almost did the same to his first ball but Edwards would not be denied and in his next over, claimed the important wicket of Vaughan for 15 with a delivery that moved off the seam and found the edge, with Lara taking the catch at second slip.

Edwards almost got a third wicket in the morning session when Butcher edged to short leg but Ramnaresh Sarwan failed to take the sharp chance.

If the morning belonged to West Indies, the afternoon session was England's as Butcher reached his 18th Test 50 from 112 balls.

Hussain batted in circumspect fashion at the other end and having reached 145 for two at tea, rain kept the players off the field for nearly two hours.

When the players returned, in questionable light, Lara dropped Butcher at first slip after wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs failed to pick up the flight of the ball.

Butcher succumbed two balls later, Jacobs making amends with a brilliant catch low to his left.

Thorpe played and missed at his first few balls, but survived until the rain returned to bring an end to the day.

Play will begin 30 minutes earlier than scheduled on Saturday, at 0935 local time (1435GMT).

England are chasing a first series victory in the Caribbean since 1968.

Scoreboard

West Indies (1st innings): (overnight 311-9)
C.Gayle b Harmison 5
D.Smith st Read b Giles 108
R.Sarwan lbw Hoggard 0
B.Lara c Flintoff b Jones 23
S.Chanderpaul b Hoggard 7
R.Hinds c Butcher b Giles 84
R.Jacobs c Vaughan b Jones 38
T.Best lbw Harmison 20
A.Sanford c Trescothick b Flintoff 1
C.Collymore not out 3
F.Edwards c Flintoff b Hoggard 1.

Extras: (lb-6, w-1, nb-14) 21.

Total: (all out, 86.4 overs) 311

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-22, 3-73, 4-101, 5-223, 6-281, 7-289, 8-300, 9-307

Bowling: Hoggard 18.4-3-68-3 (nb-3), Harmison 21-6-61-2 (nb-4 w-1), Flintoff 16-3-45-1 (nb-6), Jones 18-2-62-2, Giles 12-0-67-2, Vaughan 1-0-2-0 (nb-1)

England (1st innings):
M.Trescothick b Edwards 7
M.Vaughan c Lara b Edwards 15
M.Butcher c Jacobs b Edwards 58
N.Hussain not out 41
G.Thorpe not out 1

Extras: (b-4, lb-16, w-3, nb-9) 32

Total: (for three wickets, 48.1 overs) 154

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-33, 3-152

Bowling: Collymore 15-5-33-0 (nb-4), Edwards 16-3-50-3 (nb-5, w-2), Best 8.1-1-14-0 (w-1), Sanford 7-0-30-0, Hinds 1-0-1-0, Gayle 1-0-6-0

To bat: A.Flintoff, C.Read, A.Giles, S.Jones, S.Harmison, M.Hoggard.