Chester-le-Street: Essex pair Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara batted England into a strong position on the first day of the second Test against the West Indies here at the Riverside on Thursday.

At stumps on day one, England were 302 for two, left-hander Cook was 126 not out and Bopara, whose last two Test innings had both resulted in centuries against the West Indies, 59 not out.

Windies captain Chris Gayle had earlier got the better of counterpart Andrew Strauss (26) as he capped a week of cross words between the pair by having the opener caught behind.

Strauss opted to bat first and the opening exchanges hinted at both a benign strip and attack, with no shot required off the first 11 legitimate deliveries of the morning.

Ravi Bopara became the first England batsman to score three Test centuries in consecutive innings since his hero and mentor Graham Gooch in 1990, while another of Gooch's proteges, Alastair Cook, made an unbeaten 126, as West Indies were made to toil with minimum reward on the first day of the second Test at Chester-le-Street

By the close, England had moved effortlessly along to 302 for 2, with Cook still in situ at the close, his ninth hundred and first at home for two years.

Brief Score: England 1st Innings - 302/2 (AN Cook 126*, RS Bopara 108) v West Indies.