Moeen Ali hails England's killer instinct as hosts take command on day four of second West Indies Test

Moeen Ali celebrated England’s killer instinct as they turned around a 169-run first-innings deficit to leave West Indies facing defeat at Headingley.

Moeen’s sparkling 84 was one of six half-centuries in the second innings for England, who set West Indies 322 to win. At the close, they were five without loss, with Jimmy Anderson needing three wickets on day five to reach 500 in Tests.

England’s lower middle-order of Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen and Chris Woakes has broken the spirit of many a team and after Moeen and Woakes added 87 in 17 overs after tea, the all-rounder said: “We felt like their heads went down after tea and we wanted to keep going, keep burying them and make them suffer.

“We wanted to keep them out in the field for as long as possible and tire out their bowlers. There wasn’t much going on out there and they seemed down, so we tried to capitalise on that. The aim was to tire them out and then pounce.

“Over the last couple of years we feel that with the four of us in the lower middle-order, one of us always has the potential to ‘get’ the opposition, and we thrive on that. We see ourselves as proper batsmen.”

If England take victory on Tuesday, it will seal the three-match series and make it five wins from six for Joe Root since he became Test captain.

Having taken 27 wickets in Tests this summer, Moeen is likely to have a key role with the ball, particularly after his fellow off-spinner Roston Chase found turn and bounce during England’s second innings. But Moeen and company fought the conditions as England reached 490 for eight declared.

Woakes added: “It was an attacking declaration which hopefully gives us a good chance of victory.”