After nine holes of the third round fourballs, the two teams were level at 22 under par, two ahead of Swedes Niclas Fasth and Henrik Stenson and four clear of Denmark, France and Holland.

Heavy overnight downpours had saturated the Victoria course in Vilamoura and as well as tee times being brought forward, placing was allowed on the fairways.

The English pair resumed joint top with Wales and Sweden and Donald made the first moves when he sank a 15-foot putt on the 358-yard second and then pitched close for another birdie at the long third.

Howell, conqueror of Tiger Woods in Shanghai last Sunday and now the higher ranked of the two at 13th in the world, got in on the act with an eight-footer on the next, then birdied the long fifth as well.

Having scored a dazzling 59 in Thursday’s opening fourballs that pace was being maintained as Donald hit his approach to within three feet of the flag on the 456-yard seventh and then converted a 25-foot chance at the short eighth.

But behind them the Welsh duo, trying to emulate 1987 champions Ian Woosnam and David Llewellyn, matched that all the way.

With Dodd only three feet away at the second, Dredge holed from around 14 feet, then Dodd birdied the long third despite his drive hitting a tree left of the fairway.

Dredge then birdied the next two and Dodd the seventh and eighth, but with a chance to take the outright lead on the ninth – and turn in 29 – Dredge’s chip stopped by the holeside and Dodd’s nine-foot attempt slid wide.

Donald won with Paul Casey in Seville a year ago, but although Casey had chosen him for that week he had picked Howell as his partner this time because he was the next highest Englishman on the world rankings.

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley resumed in joint 16th place and Scots Stephen Gallacher and Scott Drummond 21st of the 24 nations competing for a first prize of £400,870 per man.

McGinley made a 50-footer for birdie on the long 12th – their third – after driving into the lake, but Harrington did the lion’s share in a back nine 31 which lifted them to 12th place on 14 under.

He birdied the 10th, eagled the driveable 15th and then picked up another shot on the 463-yard last.

Scotland improved only to 19th by covering the same nine holes in 32. Gallacher had birdies at the 12th, 14th and long 17th, while Drummond made two at the 200-yard 13th.