BIRMINGHAM, July 29: A century from Marcus Trescothick helped England to 313 for five at stumps on day one of the second Test on Thursday but West Indies will be satisfied with their day's work at Edgbaston.
Trescothick hit 19 fours in a powerful innings before he was dismissed for 105, his seventh Test hundred. A lack of foot movement was his undoing when he thrashed at a wide Dwayne Bravo ball that Brian Lara at slip parried above his head and gathered at the second attempt.
"On the first day when the sun is out you have got to make the most of it," Trescothick told Channel Four television. "They are going to come at us hard tomorrow but 400 would be lovely."
Graham Thorpe compiled a patient 61 before deflecting the ball on to his hip and into Ridley Jacobs' gloves to give Corey Collymore his first wicket. Collymore, only called into the squad last week to add experience to the tourists' young attack, was named in place of the injured Tino Best and bowled a consistent line early on but was expensive as the day wore on.
When bad light ended play with five overs left, Andrew Flintoff showed his growing maturity with 42 not out while Geraint Jones was on 27. West Indies had earlier snatched two wickets in the afternoon session with first Test double centurion Robert Key (29) edging a good length Pedro Collins ball to Lara.
Bravo then took a juggling catch to dismiss Michael Vaughan caught-and-bowled for 12. The 20-year-old, playing in only his second Test, looked lively throughout recording figures of two for 42 from 16 overs.
West Indies were roundly criticised, particularly for their sloppy fielding, after last week's 210-run first Test defeat at Lord's. However, on Thursday they appeared far more focused.
Trescothick had earlier put on 77 with Andrew Strauss for the first wicket before Strauss (24) chased a wide Jermaine Lawson delivery and edged behind. Paceman Lawson, who replaced Fidel Edwards, bowled tidily going for 47 runs from 17 overs.
Vaughan's decision to bat first looked sound on a pitch that appeared as flat as the first Test wicket at Lord's that yielded over 1,500 runs. However, Trescothick thought the pitch might benefit his side as the game goes on.
"It is generally on the slow side and with the sun on it the cracks will slowly start to appear and hopefully it might deteriorate," he said. England lead the four-match series 1-0.
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND (1st Innings):
M.E. Trescothick c Lara b Bravo 105
A.J. Strauss c Jacobs b Lawson 24
R.W.T. Key c Lara b Collins 29
M.P. Vaughan c and b Bravo 12
G.P. Thorpe c Jacobs b Collymore 61
A. Flintoff not out 42
G.O. Jones not out 27
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-1, NB-10) 13
TOTAL (for five wkts, 85.2 overs) 313
FALL OF WKTS: 1-77, 2-125, 3-150, 4-210, 5-262.
TO BAT: A.F. Giles, M.J. Hoggard, S.J. Harmison, J.M. Anderson.
BOWLING (to-date): Collins 16.2-1-75-1 (8nb); Collymore 18-3-85-1 (2nb); Lawson 17-4-47-1; Bravo 16-5-42-2 (1w); Banks 18-2-62-0.
WEST INDIES: C.H. Gayle, D.S. Smith, R.R. Sarwan, B.C. Lara, S. Chanderpaul, D.J.J. Bravo, R.D. Jacobs, O.A.C. Banks, P.T. Collins, J.J.C. Lawson, C.D. Collymore.
UMPIRES: D.B. Hair and S.J.A. Taufel (both Australia).
TV UMPIRE: J.W. Lloyds (England).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka). -Reuters