Ramnaresh Sarwan hit the top score of 63 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 50, but Flintoff took five wickets for 58 runs from 16.2 overs, as West Indies were dismissed for 224 in their first innings.

England reached 20 for one when stumps were drawn with Marcus Trescothick again failing with bat, being bowled for two off the inside edge for the third time in the series.

Victory here will give England their first series triumph in the Caribbean for 36 years.

Sarwan and Chanderpaul added 79 for the fourth wicket either side of tea to steady the innings, but West Indies lost their last seven wickets for 57 runs in a little under 18 overs.

Flintoff, bowling aggressively on a hard, true, bouncy Kensington Oval pitch, had the big wicket of West Indies captain Brian Lara just after the lunch interval and came back after the tea break to blow away the home team's lower order.

"It's been a long wait for my first five-wicket haul because we probably needed it after a bit of a partnership between Lara and Sarwan," Flintoff said.

"It was a very important milestone for me. Five wickets in any cricket match, let alone a Test match in Barbados with so many English people watching, it was a great feeling.

Steve Harmison, England main wrecking ball in this series, supported Flintoff with three for 42 from 18 overs.