Mammoth opening partnership puts England in command
Andrew Strauss on fire as England captain
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Thursday, 26, Feb 2009 10:43
Andrew Strauss struck a brilliant 142 and shared in a 229-run partnership with Alastair Cook as England dominated the opening day of the fourth Test against the West Indies.
The England openers were in majestic mood as they put the West Indies bowlers to the sword and helped their team rack-up a total of 301-3. Cook played a dogged innings and deserved to get a century, but fell six runs short.
England won the toss and chose to bat on what looked to be a flat wicket and Chris Gayle's obvious disappointment at losing the toss further indicated that plenty of runs would be scored in the day.
Cook and in particular Strauss came out all guns blazing. The openers took advantage of the great wicket and some wayward West Indies bowling as they played a number of adventurous strokes.
Strauss, who looks to have lifted his game to another level after being given the captaincy, played his trademark cut and pull strokes. He also took great liking to Suliemen Benn as he smashed the West Indies spinner for three fours in an over on his way to a half-century.
But the England captain also had a couple of slices of luck in the opening session of the match. First he edged behind off Benn, with the ball luckily the ball flying between the wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin and first-slip Devon Smith. Strauss was then let off again as he was dropped by Gayle off the bowling of Fidel Edwards.
England went in at lunch on 108-0 and they continued to score freely in the afternoon session. Strauss brought up his 16th Test century with a massive slog-sweep for six while Cook at the other end continued to battle hard as he scored a half century and the pair brought up their 200-run partnership.
The West Indies bowlers looked completely demoralised as England went into the tea break on 221 without losing a wicket. The Windies needed a moment of magic and it came from an unlikely source. Daren Powell, who had gone for close to six runs an over, bowled Strauss with a vicious inswinging yorker.
Cook, meanwhile, looked to be on course to score his first Test century in two years, but threw his wicket away as he needlessly tried to hook Jerome Taylor and skied the ball straight to Ryan Hinds at mid-wicket.
The West Indies were suddenly on a role and things got better for them as Benn snared Shah (7) who edged behind to Smith. But Kevin Pietersen (32) and Paul Collingwood (11) steadied the ship for England until the end of play.