Andrew Strauss batted the entire day to reach his third century of the series and lead another solid England batting performance in the fifth and final Test against the West Indies on Friday.
The England captain was undefeated on 139 — his 17th Test century — and shared century partnerships with Owais Shah and Paul Collingwood to guide England to a respectable 258 for two when stumps were drawn on the opening day at the Queen’s Park Oval.
Strauss won the toss and chose to bat on another hard, true Caribbean pitch under sunny skies, using the conditions to fashion another century to follow scores of 169, 14, 142, and 38 in his four previous innings.
“It’s been a nice little purple patch for me,” Strauss said. “When you are in form, you’ve got to cash in. Thankfully, I was able to do that today. I feel I am concentrating well and playing the balls on their merit. Long may it continue.”
The left-hander added 107 for the second wicket with Shah before his Middlesex teammate was forced to retire hurt on 29 with severe cramps in his left hand.
Strauss reached his milestone from 186 balls, when he drove West Indies captain Chris Gayle, plying his uncomplicated off-spin, through the covers for a single about 20 minutes after tea.
After a brief appearance from Kevin Pietersen ended in the final over before tea, Collingwood joined Strauss and batted through the entire evening period to add 102 for the third wicket and was unbeaten on 54 at stumps.
Collingwood reached his half-century from 108 balls in the final hour, when he dabbed Fidel Edwards to backward point for a single.
England had made steady progress in an uneventful morning session to reach 74 for one at lunch.
The visitors suffered a setback when Alastair Cook was caught behind for 12 off Daren Powell in the first hour of the day.
But Strauss found Shah a steady ally before lunch, although the England No. 3 took close to 45 minutes to get his first run.
After lunch, Strauss closed to within sight of his century, but Shah’s battle with cramp and the wicket of Pietersen frustrated his efforts to get England moving, as they reached 156 for two at the break. There was a close call for Strauss, on 47, when he attempted to steal a single to second slip fielder Devon Smith off Brendan Nash and was fortunate to have regained his ground.
He eventually reached his half-century from 118 balls when he tugged Gayle to mid-on for a single. Strauss and Shah were putting the grind on the West Indies, when the England No. 3 was overcome with cramps and had to leave the field with the visitors on 133 for one.
Pietersen has not been at his fluent best in the series and Ryan Hinds, delivering his left-arm spin from around the wicket, bowled him for 10 with a delivery that pitched on the line of middle stump and spun across the batsman to hit off stump in the final over before lunch.
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