In a nail-biting finish, West Indies held on for a draw against England in the third Digicel Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground (ARG) on Thursday.

At the end the men who stood between England and victory were the last pair, fast bowlers Daren Powell of Jamaica and Barbadian Fidel Edwards.

Powell contributed a disciplined, unbeaten 22 off 55 balls while Edwards was not out on five off 26 deliveries.

Set a mammoth 503 for victory, West Indies defended stoutly through the final day, moving from an overnight 143 for three to 370 for nine when bad light halted play with four overs remaining.

The tail-enders batted purposefully for the last 36 minutes and 10 overs before the darkening skies forced umpires Daryl Harper of Australia and Rudi Koertzen of South Africa to offer the light to the batsmen, who gladly accepted.

The result preserved West Indies' 1-0 lead in the five-Test series.

England's captain Andrew Strauss (left) takes evasive action as West Indies' batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan plays an attacking shot in the second innings during the final day of the third cricket Test match at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's, Antigua. The wicketkeeper is Matt Prior.

Captain Chris Gayle praised both men for their tremendous fight and was especially happy with Edwards' effort.

"It's like a customary thing for him. He's done it here again today. You have to give credit to him and Powell, the way they batted," Gayle said.

England declared twice, at 566-9 and 221-8, but could not deliver the knockout blow on a pitch of uneven bounce.

England's captain Andrew Strauss said the draw was tough to take.

"We had to work exceptionally hard for our wickets in the fourth innings there. I thought we had just done enough. In that last session, the guys dug very, very deep. Freddie Flintoff was bowling on one leg and the rest of the seamers were very tired. So to get very close was a great effort but it's pretty tough to take."

England's cricket captain Andrew Strauss leading his team off in fading light at the end of the third cricket Test match at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's on Thursday.

Earlier on the final day Ramnaresh Sarwan, overnight 47, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, resuming on 18, stretched their fourth-wicket stand to 148 as they batted through the first session and a half.

Sarwan brought up his 13th Test hundred and Chanderpaul completed a half century as England flagged.

England's bowler Graeme Swann reacts after a delivery against the West Indies in the last overs of the final day of the third cricket Test match at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's.

England then struck two big blows when Sarwan was bowled for 106 by one that kept a bit low and, a half-hour later, Chanderpaul sparred outside off stump and diverted a catch to wicketkeeper Matt Prior on 55.

We had to work exceptionally hard for our wickets in the fourth innings there. I thought we had just done enough. In that last session, the guys dug very, very deep. Freddie Flintoff was bowling on one leg and the rest of the seamers were very tired. So to get very close was a great effort but it's pretty tough to take. - Strauss