PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP): England's three veteran batsmen all completed half-centuries to help Michael Vaughan's side gain a crucial first innings advantage over West Indies on a day of attritional cricket in the second Test at Queen's Park Oval on Sunday. Graham Thorpe, Mark Butcher and Nasser Hussain all spent substantial time at the crease wearing the opposition bowlers down with purposeful batting to lead the visitors to 300 for six, replying to West Indies' first innings total of 208, when bad light stopped play 10 overs early on a cloudy to overcast third day. Thorpe, arguably England's best batsman, led the way with a resolute, undefeated 81 that kept the momentum going after fast bowler Tino Best broke through a century, third wicket partnership between Butcher and Hussain. The left-handed Thorpe is now eyeing his 13th Test hundred after striking eight fours and one six from facing 196 balls in nearly five hours and was paid a glowing tribute by Hussain. "What you see out in the middle is only 50 per cent of your life and he's had some stuff off the field with which he has had to deal," Hussain told reporters referring to the tribulations Thorpe has suffered in his private life. "The area in which I always compliment Graham Thorpe is that when he comes back into the squad following a long absence, to have the mental strength to do what he has done here, you cannot teach that. "It is something you either have or don't have. To come into bat on a pitch like this and produce the goods is what he has always had." Butcher scored 61 and Hussain gathered 58 in adding 120 that provided the stability of for the innings after it was left rocking from two early blows in between the rain on the previous day. The wickets of Andrew Flintoff and Chris Read in the first half-hour after the tea break did not help England nor did they hurt West Indies, but the home team found it more difficult breaking through Thorpe and Ashley Giles, whose stand of 70, unbroken, for the seventh wicket was further frustration for them. Best was the most successful West Indies bowler with three wickets for 60 runs from 25 overs and left-arm medium fast bowler Pedro Collins has taken two for 66 from 23 overs. Hussain and Butcher had linked up for a similarly important third wicket stand in the opening Test at Kingston that has been described by members of the England team as one of the most ferocious periods of Test cricket they have ever witnessed. As previous visitors to the Caribbean, Hussain and Butcher had seen it all before and used their experience to stonewall the West Indies bowlers during the morning period in which they carried England from their overnight position of 54 for two to 123 for two at lunch. The two batsmen mixed sound defence with aggression to keep the ravenous West Indies bowlers at bay as they beat the bat several times with little success during the morning period. After the interval, Best, eased the pressure on West Indies when he claimed them both but England were within reach of the lead when they arrived at tea on 197 for four. In the fourth over after the lunch interval, Butcher was caught behind for 61, a dismissal about which the batsman was clearly unhappy and which television replays suggested might have been incorrect. The left-hander batted 274 minutes, faced 190 balls and struck seven boundaries. Hussain had continued to plod away to secure a healthy position for the visitors. He and Thorpe had added 58 for the fourth wicket when Best, armed with the second new ball, had the former England captain bowled for 58 in the penultimate over before tea. Hussain batted for close to six hours and struck half-dozen fours from 223 balls. After tea, West Indies made further inroads into the England batting when part-time medium-paced bowler Dwayne Smith had Flintoff caught and bowled for 23 and Collins trapped Chris Read lbw for three with a juicy inswinging yorker. West Indies, however, could not find a way through Thorpe and Giles and the two continued to grind away to secure England's position in the match. England, bidding to end a 36-year wait for their first series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean, lead the four-Test series 1-0 after winning the opening Test at Kingston by 10 wickets. Scoreboard after the third day of the second Test: West Indies 1st Innings 208 (C. Gayle 62; S. Harmison 6-61) England 1st Innings (overnight 54 for two) M. Trescothick c Sanford b Best 1 M. Vaughan lbw b Collins 0 M. Butcher c Jacobs b Best 61 N. Hussain b Best 58 G. Thorpe not out 81 A. Flintoff c and b D Smith 23 C. Read lbw b Collins 3 A. Giles not out 28 Extras (b5, lb20, w3, nb17) 45 Total (6 wkts) 300 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-8, 3-128, 4-186, 5-218, 6-230. Bowling: Collins 23-5-66-2 (nb6); Best 25-5-60-3 (nb2, w1); Sanford 26-6-60-0 (nb2, w1); Collymore 24-7-39-0 (nb4); D.R. Smith 9-0-30-1 (nb3); Gayle 13-5-17-0; Sarwan 1-0-3-0. To bat: S. Jones, M. Hoggard, S. Harmison Overs: 121 Match position: England lead West Indies by 92 runs with four first innings wickets standing. Umpires: D. Harper, B. Bowden (TV Replays: E. Nicholls). Match Referee: M. Procter. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com