Bopara steadies England after Strauss loss

Ravi Bopara helped England recover from the early loss of captain Andrew Strauss to be 88 for one at lunch on the first day of the first Test against the West Indies at Lord's here on Wednesday.

Bopara, playing his first Test innings in England's problematic number three position, was 33 not and opener Alastair Cook 34 not out.

The Essex duo, both aged 24, had so far shared an unbroken stand of 60 after England had been 28 for one.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle won the toss and elected to field in overcast conditions which looked as if they might assist his pace bowlers.

However, the last six Tests at Lord's have ended in draws and, with the sun bursting through, it soon became clear the pitch was again living up to its reputation as a good surface for batting.

Strauss, who made hundreds in three successive Tests against the West Indies during England's 1-0 series loss in the Caribbean earlier this year, looked in fine touch.

Batting on his Middlesex home ground, the left-hander drove Jerome Taylor straight for the day's first boundary in the fifth over and followed that up next ball with a square-cut for four.

But in the seventh over Strauss, who did not move his feet, edged an intended square cut off Taylor and was well caught low down by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.

His exit brought in Bopara, a surprise choice to fill the number three berth, playing his first Test since he made 104 batting at number six against the West Indies in Barbados in February.

He was beaten on the outside edge by a fine first ball from Taylor but kept his nerve to played several well-struck shots although he did nick left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn just past slip in the last over before lunch.