England take charge in second Test

Ravi Bopara reached three centuries in three innings as England punished the West Indies bowlers to reach 302 for two on the first day of the second Test in Chester-Le-Street.Alistair Cook also made his ninth Test century to share in a second wicket partnership of 213 with Bopara who was bowled for 108 by Lionel Baker.Cook finished the day unbeaten on 126."Runs are runs. It's a matter of how many you get not how you get them," the lefthander said."I have never batted the whole day before so I'm quite proud."It's been a battle for the last 12 months for me so it's just nice to score some runs."After England's 10-wicket triumph at Lord's, the opening day's batting performance on a cold day at Durham's Riverside ground gave the West Indies little hope of winning the second Test to square the series."It was a tough day today,'' coach John Dyson said."A very flat wicket and the England batsmen batted very, very well."Let's hope that tomorrow morning perhaps Alastair (Cook) might be tired, the sun might come out and give our blokes some inspiration."We've just got to keep going with bowling in the right areas and hope that one of few that he's played at and missed he might nick.''Bopara, who scored 104 at Bridgetown and Barbados and 143 at Lord's, joins Herbert Sutcliffe, Dennis Compton, Geoffrey Boycott and Graham Gooch as England players who have scored three centuries in three innings.