England v West Indies 2nd Test

Centuries from Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara took England to 302-2 after the opening day of the second Test against West Indies at the Riverside.

Andrew Strauss chose to bat and was caught behind off Chris Gayle for 26.

Cook played watchfully to record his ninth Test century, finishing unbeaten on 126 from 262 balls with 14 fours.

He shared 213 with Bopara, who moved into the 90s with a four, six and four and became only the fifth Englishman to make three successive Test hundreds.

Bopara, playing in his sixth Test, followed England greats Herbert Sutcliffe, Denis Compton, Geoffrey Boycott and Graham Gooch in achieving the feat.

The 24-year-old Essex batsman, who lists Gooch as one of his heroes, has had a remarkable Test career.

Having been dropped after making three ducks in Sri Lanka in 2007, he finally returned to the team with a century in the Caribbean last winter, only to be omitted to make way for an extra bowler, but then returned again with a century at number three at Lord's last week.