England were hit by an injury blow to Eoin Morgan then beaten into submission with a blistering display from Rovman Powell as West Indies took a series lead.
Victory by 20 runs gave Kieron Pollard’s men a 2-1 lead with Saturday and Sunday’s matches to come.
It also gave them a sense of belief against a much-changed and weakened England squad that they have nothing to fear.
In this sort of mood, West Indies will not only be looking forward to the weekend but to the World T20 in Australia in October with a building sense of excitement.
The absence of the England captain’s input on the field after he felt tightness in his quad in the warm up, proved largely immaterial.
Funky fields against Powell were pointless given his main currency was in maximums, 10 times sending it sailing over the ropes in a total of 16 from the hosts.
West Indies' total was a record score for the ground of 224-5 comfortably eclipsing the previous high water mark left by Sri Lanka who posted 195 in 2010.
The Windies had made just the one change from the side which went so close to pulling off a remarkable victory in the second match of five, dropping Odean Smith for Powell.
And what an inspired switch it proved to be.
Moeen Ali had stepped up in Morgan’s late absence and handed over a teamsheet showing Sam Billings, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood and Liam Dawson had been benched and showing three debutants, Phil Salt, Harry Brook and George Garton.
Initially the personnel changes looked promising with Garton picking off Brandon King in the second over as West Indies went 11-1.
But an hour and a half later it was Powell who looked the inspired pick.
Coming to the wicket at 48-2 Powell struck his second ball for six off Liam Livingstone, sweeping powerfully over square leg. From there the Jamaican carried on with the same brutal intent until he had ripped the game from England’s grip.
He reached his 50 in 32 balls, again sending Livingstone over the rope at deep extra cover and his century in 51 balls – the third fastest for the West Indies behind Chris Gayle, who has 47 and 50 ball centuries.
Nicholas Pooran will not often post a 43-ball 70 and end up amongst the footnotes.
Powell’s blistering knock, replete with 10 sixes and four fours – was the centrepiece of a brilliant innings from the hosts and one which left England with a mountain to climb.
Needing just under 12 an over they initially held the rate in check reaching the halfway stage at 99-3.
But the steady drip of wickets enabled West Indies to keep dabbing the brakes.
Tom Banton did his best to keep hopes afloat with his own T20 high water mark – a 39-ball 73 including six sixes – but when he found Jason Holder at long on England still needed 96 from 45 balls.
Had he stuck around for a few more overs with Phil Salt, whose 24-ball 57 lit up the death, things might have been interesting.
