Triple-top Strauss puts England in charge

CRICKET: PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, March 7, 2009: Andrew Strauss batted the entire day to reach his third hundred of the series, and lead another solid England batting performance in the fifth and final Test against West Indies on Friday.

The England captain was undefeated on 139 - his 17th Test hundred - 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 Queen's Park Oval.

Strauss won the toss and chose to bat on another hard, true Caribbean pitch under sunny skies, and used the conditions to fashion another hundred to follow scores of 169, 14, 142, and 38 in his four previous innings. "It's been a nice little purple patch for me," said Strauss.

ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS 
A. Strauss not out 		139 
A. Cook c Ramdin b Powell 	 12 
O. Shah retired hurt 		 29 
K. Pietersen b Hinds 		 10 
P. Collingwood not out 		 54 
EXTRAS: (lb4, w1, nb9) 		 14 
TOTAL: (2 wkts) 		258 
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-26 (Cook), 2-156 (Pietersen). 
BOWLING: Edwards 14-2-25-0 (nb4, w1), Powell 11-1-51-1, Baker 
	12-2-30-0 (nb1), Nash 16-3-47-0, Gayle 17-0-52-0 (nb1)n Hinds 20-2-49-1(nb3).