Football
Reuters 17y

UPDATE 1-Cricket-Cook celebrates return to England team

(Updates at tea)

By John Mehaffey

LONDON, May 17 - Alastair Cook celebrated his
return to the England team on Thursday with an unbeaten 82 at
tea on the first day of the first test against West Indies at
Lord's.

Cook, who was not a member of England's World Cup squad in
the Caribbean this year, batted with unhurried authority
throughout the first two sessions to take his team to 158 for
two. Kevin Pietersen was 26 not out at the interval.

The West Indies pace bowlers struggled to make an impact
after Ramnaresh Sarwan had won the toss and asked England to bat
with the exception of a menacing spell by Daren Powell
immediately after lunch.

Acting England captain Andrew Strauss (33) guided the first
delivery of his second over after the interval straight to Devon
Smith in the gully and the same combination, with Smith at third
slip this time, accounted for Owais Shah (6).

Shah, winning his first cap at home after scoring 88 and 38
in his only test in India last year, had already suffered a
painful blow on the back of head from a Jerome Taylor throw in
his brief stay at the crease.

The West Indies pace bowlers showed both their lack of match
practice and their unfamiliarity with the sloping Lord's pitch
when play started half an hour late after more of the rain which
has fallen on London over the past week.

Strauss and Cook took advantage of some short and wayward
bowling to take England to 85 for no wicket at lunch. They added
only three more runs before Strauss played a loose stroke to
Powell that was easily caught by Smith.

Shah was out 15 runs later when Pietersen took up the
challenge, steering Corey Collymore through mid-wicket for four
then striking Powell through gully and past extra-cover for
boundaries in the same over.

Cook reached his fourth test half-century, to go with his
four centuries from 76 balls, and when tea was taken 19 minutes
early because of bad light the pair had added 55 from 87 balls.

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