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SOUTHAMPTON. — Stuart Broad’s furious outburst, over his exclusion from the first Test, overshadowed a thrilling third day of the battle between England and the West Indies here yesterday.

At stumps, England were 15/0, still 99 runs behind the tourists, who were eventually bowled out for 318 in reply to the hosts’ first innings score of 204 all out.

Broad spoke of his anger at being dropped from a home Test, for the time in eight years, insisting he deserved to keep his place after his success against Australia and South Africa.

Broad, who needs only 15 more wickets to become the second Englishman after Jimmy Anderson to reach 500 in Tests, was told of his omission at 6pm on the eve of the series opener against West Indies here — and described the decision as “hard to understand.’’

“I’m not a particularly emotional person, but I’ve found the last couple of days quite tough,’’ he told Sky Sports.

“To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement.

“You only get disappointed if you drop your phone and break your screen

“I’ve been frustrated, angry, gutted — because it’s quite a hard decision to understand.

“I’ve probably bowled the best I’ve ever bowled in the last couple of years.

“I felt like it was my shirt having been in the team through the Ashes and going to South Africa and winning there.

“It is hard to take, but also I’m quite pleased I feel frustrated and gutted and angry, because if I didn’t I’d have a different decision to make.

“So, I don’t think I’ve got anything to prove — England know what I can do.

“The selectors know what I can do.

“And when I get that opportunity again, you can bet I’ll be on the money.’’

Broad, who turned 34 last month, took 23 wickets at 26 apiece during last summer’s 2-2 Ashes draw, removing Australian opener David Warner seven times at a personal cost of just 35 runs.

Earlier this year, he managed 14 wickets at just 19 apiece as England triumphed 3-1 in South Africa.

Mark Wood has already admitted he was surprised to be selected for this game.

And Broad, while acknowledging the stiff competition for seam-bowling places in the England team, now intends to win his place back for next week’s second Test in Manchester.

“I’ll be doing as much as I can in the next week to make sure I’m available for Old Trafford,’’ he said. “The chairman of selectors [Ed Smith] made it clear they will be picking pitch for pitch, and went with extra pace for the Ageas Bowl.

“That means if I get to Old Trafford and it looks like it might seam from full of a length, I might have a chance.’’

Meanwhile, in the final session yesterday, it wasn’t easy but the openers Dom Sibley (5) and Rory Burns (10) survived as England closed on 15 without loss.

They also managed to bring the lead down to two figures.

This was a gripping day of Test cricket.

They said it was Moving Day, and there was progressive movement from both teams.

The bowlers did their job and the batsmen backed it up to a good extent.

England were insipid through some parts yesterday, but they haven’t exactly lucked out in terms of conditions.

Yesterday had the easiest conditions of the match so far and considering that, they’ll be happy they didn’t let West Indies run away with it.

It took the experience of Anderson and Ben Stokes to ensure that.

This game is superbly set up. — Mailonline/Cricinfo