BIRMINGHAM (UK), Aug 19: Alastair Cook�s double century put England in a commanding position against the West Indies before James Anderson struck in the inaugural day/night Test in Britain at Edgbaston.
West Indies were 44 for one in reply to England�s imposing 514 for eight declared, a deficit of 470 runs, when rain ended the second day�s play early in the third session.
Cook�s 243, his fourth Test double century, was the cornerstone of England�s total and the former captain�s dismissal prompted current skipper Joe Root to declare.
That left the West Indies with a tricky nine overs to bat in twilight before the tea interval.
That was time enough for opener Kraigg Brathwaite to be caught behind for a duck off Anderson.
Kieran Powell had made just two when the normally reliable Ben Stokes dropped him in the gully off Stuart Broad.
But come the close, Powell was 18 not out while Kyle Hope, in at nought for one, had made a heartening 25 not out for the tourists.
But by that stage both Cook and Anderson, England�s leading Test run-scorer and wicket-taker respectively, had struck telling blows.
England resumed in an immensely strong position of 348 for three in the first of this three-match series and the 50th Test at Edgbaston.
Cook was 153 not out, an innings that had already seen him extend his record tally of England Test centuries to 31.
Significantly it was also Cook�s first Test hundred in 17 innings and the 32-year-old left-handed opener�s tenth score of 150 or more at this level.
Together with Root, who made 136 after winning the toss, he�d put on 248 for the third wicket.
There was a sombre start to Friday�s proceedings with players, officials and spectators observing a minute�s silence in memory of the victims of Thursday�s terror attacks in Spain.
On the field, Cook again looked to be having a �net� against an outclassed attack.
SCORECARD
England 1st Innings (overnight: 348-3): A Cook lbw b Chase 243, M Stoneman b Roach 8, T Westley lbw b Cummins 8, J Root b Roach 136, D Malan c Blackwood b Chase 65, B Stokes c Blackwood b Chase 10, J Bairstow b Holder 18, M Ali c Brathwaite b Chase 0, T Roland-Jones not out 6. Extras: (lb10, w3, nb7) 20. Total: (8 wkts dec, 135.5 overs) 514. Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-39, 3- 287, 4-449, 5-466, 6-505, 7-506, 8-514. Bowling: Roach 28-8-86-2; Joseph 22-3-109-0; Cummins 24-3-87-1; Holder 29.3-4-103-1; Chase 26.2-2-113-4; Brathwaite 6-0-6-0.
West Indies 1st Innings: K Brathwaite c Bairstow b Anderson 0, K Powell not out 18, K Hope not out 25. Extras: (w1) 1. Total: (1 wkt, 16 overs) 44. Fall of wickets: 1-0. Bowling: Anderson 8-2-17-1; Broad 8-1-27-0. � AFP
