West Indies captain Jason Holder claimed career-best figures of 6-42 as England's batting order buckled on day two of the first Test at the Ageas Bowl.

The home side were bowled out for 204 in tricky conditions that must have made stand-in skipper Ben Stokes question his own wisdom in batting first.

Stokes' 43 was the best his team could muster in response but even that required two drops in the outfield.

A rain-affected start to the series saw England resuming on 35 for one and they never managed to get their noses in front as they subsided in 67.3 overs.

England's lunch score of 106-5 would have been worse had Kemar Roach held a tough chance at fine leg off Stokes' top-edge but the ball slipped loose. For a spell after lunch that looked to be a costly miss, as Stokes and Jos Buttler made a stand of 67.

There was a second life for Stokes – put down horribly by Shamarh Brooks at short cover on 32 - but also a series of sweet strokes. Both launched Gabriel to the cover-point boundary in the first over of the session, the first of several to follow.

It was Holder who sent both men back in a spell of guile and unflinching accuracy. Stokes nicked behind compulsively advancing down the pitch and, just seven balls later, Buttler (35) was brilliantly held one-handed by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.

The West Indies were 57-1 when bad light stopped play.