Cook ton lights up gloomy day

LONDON, May 17: England were 200 for 3 when bad light stopped play on the opening day of the first Test against West Indies here on Thursday. 34 overs were still to be bowled when the umpires decided to call it a day.
The highlight of the day was Alastair Cook's unbeaten century, his fifth in only his 15th Test. The left-handed opener hit nine fours in 173 balls and anchored England's innings after Daren Powell had struck twice in five balls after lunch.
The fast bowler dismissed stand-in captain Andrew Strauss on 33 to break the 88-run opening stand, and then had No.3 Owais Shah out for 6.
West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan won the toss and sent England in to bat under a gloomy sky that promised to help swing the ball. However, Cook and Strauss were untroubled by the West Indies' three-man pace attack in the first session, although the England captain twice edged on the ground through slips. The pair took England to lunch at 85-0 with Cook on 47 and Strauss on 31.
But 13 balls after lunch, Strauss drove at a delivery from Powell and scooped a catch to Devon Smith at backward point. Strauss hit six fours in 70 balls. In the next over, Cook stroked the ball to long on and ran four to bring up his 50.