Cricket:England overcame the loss of in-form captain Andrew Strauss to reach lunch on 88 for one after being asked to bat on day one of the first npower Test at Lord's.
Strauss, so prolific in England’s series defeat in the Caribbean this past winter, appeared to be finding his range against the same opposition until he swished at an unthreatening Jerome Taylor delivery angled across him and edged behind.
But his opening partner Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara then dealt calmly with what remained of the new-ball swing in an unbroken second-wicket stand of 60.
Chris Gayle presumably punted on cloud cover and a pitch with tinges of green after winning the toss, but the signs two hours later were that he might already be living to regret his decision.
It meant England’s two debutant seamers Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions would have to wait for their chance with the ball, after predictably being included at the expense of second spinner Monty Panesar.
The tourists’ line-up was also as expected, Taylor and Fidel Edwards leading a four-man attack completed by Lionel Baker and left-arm orthodox Sulieman Benn.
All were used but found no significant help from the surface in the opening exchanges.
Taylor, the architect of England’s collapse to defeat in the first Test in Jamaica three months ago, posed most questions but picked up only Strauss for his trouble.
The nearest the tourists came to a second breakthrough was when Bopara pushed towards cover off first-change Baker.
England’s new number three restored his authority with a stylish drive just straight of mid-on for four next ball to go past 20.
There was also a short-lived scare for Cook when Baker brought one back to pin him on the back-foot defence, only for umpire Steve Davis to judge the ball had bounced too high for an lbw decision.
Baker was again out of luck an over later when Bopara misjudged his in-swing, leaving a ball which just cleared middle and off stump on its way to the wicketkeeper.
Baker remained miserly. But as the skies continued to brighten, prospects were good for batting - and England’s two Essex boys were intent on making sure they did not miss a golden opportunity.