Bopara Ton Steadies Wobbly England Against WI

Bopara ton holds England together

London: Fidel Edwards took three wickets, including the prize scalp of Kevin Pietersen, as West Indies fought back in the first Test against England at Lord's on Wednesday.

One stage, England tip-toed to 88 for 1 at lunch on a very slow pitch. But Fidel's three wickets really fired things up, before Bopara played an absolute blinder with his second hundred and his first at No.3. England will be over the moon with him. But England should not be so happily placed: West Indies dropped catch after dolly after chance, and their fielding was occasionally a shambles, so England can count themselves very lucky that they weren't skittled for 200. Bopara, of course, remains not out and his is the vital wicket tomorrow morning.

England's new number three Ravi Bopara rode his luck to complete a second successive Test century and shore up a patchy home innings on day one of the npower series at Lord's.

Bopara, batting for the first time in a Test at the home of cricket, was dropped twice on his way to an unbeaten 118 out of 289 for seven.

The West Indies also put Stuart Broad down four times and could easily have bowled England out for a modest total - on the back of four for 53 from the impressive Fidel Edwards - had they taken their chances after asking their hosts to bat first.

Sulieman Benn had had already had a close call for lbw against Bopara on 40, before he was let off by Brendan Nash at square-leg on 76 off Edwards and then by Devon Smith at second slip off Lionel Baker just after reaching his hundred.

The Essex batsman shared a second-wicket stand of 64 with his county colleague Alastair Cook, 84 for the fifth with Matt Prior and finally 69 with Broad for the sixth.

His innings contained much of his trademark wristy timing. But perhaps his greatest achievement was coming through a testing early-afternoon spell of pace and swing from Edwards - who was on a hat-trick after having Kevin Pietersen caught behind first ball.

Bopara's reward was a 207-ball century which contained 12 fours

Brief Score: England 289 for 7 (Bopara 118*, Swann 7*, Edwards 4-53) v West Indies.