Surefire Strauss

Sunday 27 May 2012

Laconic, under-stated, well judged: England captain Andrew Strauss bats rather like he talks.

Andrew Strauss hits out on his way to 102 not out Photograph: Getty

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Huw Richards

And his team were thoroughly grateful for his contribution as his innings of 102 not out ensured they ended the second day at Trent Bridge with a clear, if as yet far from decisive, advantage over West Indies.

England finished the day on 259 for two, still 111 behind but on course for a sizeable first-innings lead as Strauss showed the same kind of form as he did in hitting a century in the first Test at Lord's last week, putting an end to a comparatively fallow spell.He looked every bit his old self yesterday, displaying impeccable shot selection that meant 72 of his runs came from boundaries, with a number of those strokes out of the top drawer. Other trademark Strauss qualities on show included the unshakeable calm that ensured no further breakthroughs followed the loss of two partners – and the one that seemed missing during the tough times, the unbreakable concentration that converts good starts into serious scores.He said: "It's a strange game. Sometimes it can be very difficult, and on other occasions when you have runs under your belt it feels easier. This took a lot less out of me than Lord's last week."This was Strauss's 21st century for England, meaning that he is now behind only the illustrious trio of Hammond, Cowdrey and Boycott, each of whom scored 22.Even before reaching that mark he had altered the record books, climbing successively beyond the career aggregates of Graham Thorpe and Ken Barrington to rank ninth among England's all-time leading run-scorers.If Strauss had every reason to regard the day with profound satisfaction, it was probably a dead heat between his opening partner Alastair Cook and West Indies paceman Kemar Roach as to which had greater reason for self-flagellation. Twice, either side of lunch, Roach had Cook caught behind only for a no ball to nullify the dismissal.Roach is a bowler of sufficient pace and fire to have seriously disconcerted Ricky Ponting. But he is also too much of a serial overstepper, offending seven times in seven overs, for this to be regarded as ill-fortune. Before long, a boisterous crowd was shouting "no ball" every time he entered his delivery stride.But if Roach's fecklessness cost West Indies their chance of early inroads, Cook did little to capitalise on his two unearned lives, falling by the same means to the durable and persevering Ravi Rampaul for 24. Rampaul has been playing international cricket since 2003 without ever really sealing his place.Yesterday's effort should go a long way towards doing that as he opened with 11 accurate overs from the Pavilion End, then straight after tea claimed a second victim when he had Jonathan Trott lbw for 35.That let in Kevin Pietersen who initially batted in comparatively restrained style, a thumping six off the first ball he received from West Indian spinner Shane Shillingford apart, but gathered pace ominously in the final hour to be poised on 71 at the close.In the morning England had cleaned up the last four West Indies wickets, three falling to Tim Bresnan, for a further 66 runs but not before West Indian captain Darren Sammy had completed a hugely popular and richly deserved first Test century.Sammy said: "It was good to get a Test 100, but we did not bat on as we needed to."

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Surefire Strauss

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