Replying to the tourists first innings total of 204, da Silva s unbeaten 54 and vital contributions from Kyle Mayers, Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach lifted the home side from the depths of 95 for six to 232 for eight at stumps.
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While not nearly as dramatic as the last-wicket stand of 90 between Saqib Mahmood and Jack Leach on day one which resuscitated the English from 114 for nine, the West Indian version of tail-end resistance saw 137 runs added for the loss of two wickets.
In stark contrast to the dreary cricket which defined most of the drawn first two matches, da Silva (54 not out) and Roach (25 not out) will be keen to extend a ninth-wicket stand on the third morning which has already produced 55 runs and earned the home team a lead of 28 runs with two wickets in hand.
Chris Woakes led the England effort with the ball, taking three wickets in mid-afternoon to trigger a West Indies slide which seemed terminal until da Silva joined Mayers.
Successive partnerships of 33 with Mayers, 49 with Joseph (28) and the unbroken stand with Roach followed, the ninth-wicket pair unperturbed by the arrival of the second new ball half-hour before the close of play.
Da Silva s half-century, his fourth overall in Test cricket, has occupied more than three hours in which he faced 152 deliveries, stroking four fours.
"My home form hasn t been very good so it was especially pleasing to get runs in from of home support," said de Silva.
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