Kraigg Brathwaite made a composed century as West Indies had much the better of the fourth day of the second Test against England in Grenada.
His 101 not out took the home side to 202-2, a lead of 37.
Earlier, England moved their overnight 373-6 to 464 all out, with Joe Root ending unbeaten on 182.
On a pitch that remains lifeless, a draw seems the most likely result, lengthening England's wait for a first overseas win since 2012.
If a positive result on the final day is possible, then it is England who are more likely to earn it.
However, the lack of opportunities created in the turgid afternoon and evening sessions suggest that Alastair Cook's men will find it hard to take the seven wickets required quickly enough for a run-chase to be undertaken.
They will at least have the opportunity to bowl with a new ball and will hope to find the swing movement that made James Anderson dangerous before lunch, when Devon Smith failed to withdraw his bat from an outswinger and deflected the ball on to his stumps.
Thereafter, Brathwaite and Darren Bravo made England toil on a surface showing little pace or bounce and only slow turn.
They shared 142 for the second wicket, with Brathwaite overcoming some early uncertainty outside off stump to cut repeatedly and the more assured Bravo occasionally unfurling flamboyant drives.
In the face of West Indian patience, England's seamers stuck to their task, with Stuart Broad almost having Brathwaite glove to slip, while the otherwise disappointing off-spin of Moeen Ali saw Bravo flash past gully and and Brathwaite nearly lob to mid-wicket.
In the end, mid-way through the evening session, England's perseverance with a plan of hanging the ball outside off stump paid off as Bravo edged through to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Brathwaite remained, joined by Marlon Samuels, who received no obvious response to the saluting send-off he gave Ben Stokes on the third evening.
The right-handed opener was the recipient of a failed lbw review from the bowling of Chris Jordan, then completed his fourth Test century with another cut off Anderson.
That sealed an ideal day for West Indies, who chipped through the England batting in the morning session with plenty of help from the tourists.
The impressive leg-spin of Devendra Bishoo had Buttler stumped by some distance and Broad caught from a gloved sweep, either side of Jordan being run-out in a mix-up with Root.
That was the only mistake of an imperious Root knock, the 24-year-old becoming the second-youngest England player to reach 2,000 Test runs and only the ninth man to make four scores in excess of 150 before the age of 25.
Cutting the seamers and looking to hit straight or slog-sweep against Bishoo, he farmed the strike when partnered with last-man Anderson to add 33 for the 10th wicket.
He looked primed for a second Test double hundred, but was denied when Anderson was run-out in dozy fashion, failing to ground his bat, perhaps not expecting Jason Holder to gather a return from high above his head.
In frustration, Root hit the ground with his bat and threw his helmet, while the visitors were left short of a lead that would pressure West Indies.
Ultimately, though, it is wickets, rather than runs, that are the problem for England.
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