Andrew Strauss' England turned to desperate measures in their bid to win the final Test and square the series against West Indies.

Having finally dismissed West Indies deep into the final session of the penultimate day of a Test campaign they appear destined to lose, the tourists closed on 80 for three at Queen's Park Oval after trying to force the pace against the clock.

Hamstrung by half-a-dozen missed chances in the field, and some stiff umpiring decisions against them, Strauss' team spent five hours toiling today before the hosts were bowled out for 544.

That meant England gained just a two-run advantage on first innings and were left to manufacture a position from which they might have a sniff of victory.

Their hopes became slimmer by the over today, however, as overnight pair Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brendan Nash both hit hundreds after being given lives.

Chanderpaul, who finished unbeaten on 147, was also the beneficiary of a controversial decision by Australian umpire Daryl Harper to overturn his original judgement of a caught behind appeal off Graeme Swann, eight runs short of three figures.

Strauss also survived before the close when West Indies were convinced he had nicked behind off Lionel Baker in the fourth over and were left enraged when he remained.

He did not do so for long, however, as he chipped back to opposite number Chris Gayle, on to bowl as early as the fifth over despite a grade one tear to his right hamstring.

Owais Shah then perished in the next over, caught behind flashing at a wide delivery from Baker, as England wobbled. The stage was set for Kevin Pietersen's improvisations and he raced to an unbeaten 34 with typical wanders outside off-stump to flick through the leg-side.

Alastair Cook lost a challenge against a caught behind off Ryan Hinds 15 minutes before the close but West Indies used up their final review later in the same over as Paul Collingwood survived a leg before shout.

West Indies' fifth-wicket duo Nash and Chanderpaul ensured the tourists suffered a fruitless first session on the fourth day to severely reduce their victory hopes.

Three successes in each of the final two sessions, including that of Nash for 109, provided England with one-and-a-half hours to bat this evening.

But for general shoddiness, however, they would have earned a longer period.

To add to the frustration, they thought they had Chanderpaul out to an edge behind.

So did Harper, only for Chanderpaul to challenge with the home team's final referral and third official Aleem Dar to cast doubt in the mind of the on-field umpire.

England arguably had a right to feel harshly treated given that the guidelines of the umpire review system being trialled in this series state that there must be compelling evidence that the original decision was wrong for it to be overturned. Television replays were inconclusive.

Stuart Broad had struck in the previous over, with his first delivery of the afternoon session, after switching ends, when Nash sliced straight to Collingwood, stationed as the wider of two slips.

England's second success was delayed for another 10 overs, however, and came when Hinds got carried away with his counter-attack - off-spinner Swann beat him in the flight, and wicketkeeper Matt Prior completed a smart stumping.

James Anderson, undoubtedly England's best bowler despite the lack of success in the wickets column, finally got some reward on the eve of the second interval as an inswinger earned a leg before decision against Denesh Ramdin.

Anderson, who twice saw edges fly through the slips for four at catchable height and also beat the bat on numerous other occasions, highlighted his skill reverse-swinging the old ball with figures of 15-6-30-1 today.

Collingwood then floored his second straightforward slip catch of the innings when he was struck above the right ankle from a chance from Chanderpaul, on 141, off Anderson.

A spectacular catch by Strauss, plucked out of the air one-handed at short extra-cover, accounted for Gayle, who returned to the crease with a runner after tea, having retired hurt upon completing his hundred yesterday.

That gave Swann a second success and he wrapped things up - after Broad had Fidel Edwards slashing at a wide one - when Baker padded up to one which Harper adjudged to be on its way to hit off-stump.

English frustration spilled over in the morning session when fast bowler Broad was spoken to by Harper after showing dissent in the eighth over of the day.

Broad was called for a wide by Harper upon bouncing Nash from around the wicket, and expressed his displeasure at the decision.

Harper discussed the issue with Broad at the end of the over and then summoned Strauss to calm his player down.

A new England record of extras in an innings was completed earlier in the over when Broad angled one into Nash and the ball deflected off the pads for four byes - the final total was a whopping 74, two short of the highest ever in Tests.

Australian-raised Nash and fellow left-hander Chanderpaul shared a stand of 234, which despite its comprehensive nature did not come without discomfort.

Nash was given a working over by Anderson on 99, surviving a maiden before bringing up his first Test hundred with a tuck for two to the leg-side off Panesar.

England entered this match requiring victory to share a campaign they were heavy favourites to win before arrival in the Caribbean but missed an early fourth-morning chance when Prior failed to hold on to a suspected bottom edge offered by Chanderpaul on 56.