West Indies captain Jason Holder returned Test-best figures of 6-42 as England slumped to 204 all out on the second day of the series opener at Southampton on Thursday.
When bad light forced an early close, West Indies had lost just the one wicket to be 57-1, a deficit of 147 runs.
Kraigg Brathwaite was 20 not out and Shai Hope three not out.
Holder, the world’s top-ranked all-rounder, surpassed his previous Test-best of 6-59 against Bangladesh at Kingston two years ago, making full use of overcast conditions at the Ageas Bowl.
Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, who did the early damage, took all the other wickets in the innings for impressive figures of 4-62.
Holder’s haul, the sixth time in his past 10 Tests he has taken five or more wickets in an innings, included the prize scalp of opposing captain Ben Stokes, who top-scored with 43 after winning the toss.
“Leading up to this Test, with my ankle (niggle), I probably didn’t get the amount of overs in that I’d have liked to, but I still felt really good,” Holder told Sky Sports.
England slipped to 87-5 before a stand of 67 between Stokes (43) and vice-captain Jos Buttler (35). Off-spinner Dom Bess chipped in with 31 not out.
England could have been dismissed even more cheaply.
Stokes, leading the side in the absence of regular captain Joe Root, missing this match following the birth, was dropped on 14 and 32.
But Holder had Stokes, second in the all-rounder rankings, caught behind as he aimed legside after advancing down the pitch.
Buttler, with just one hundred Test hundred to his name edged an excellent Holder delivery, with wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich holding a diving one-handed catch.
West Indies have not won a Test series in England since 1988 but they hold the Wisden Trophy after a 2-1 success in the Caribbean last year.