ALASTAIR Cook and Ravi Bopara both scored centuries as England completely dominated the opening day of the second Test against West Indies at Riverside.
The Essex duo shared a second-wicket stand of 213 as England closed the day on 302-2.
With the hosts having won the opening Test of a two-match series at Lord's last week, today's performance all but guarantees a series victory and a return of the Wisden Trophy that was lost in the Caribbean over the winter.
Cook finished the day unbeaten on 126, while Bopara was bowled by Lionel Baker for 108 after becoming only the fifth English batsman to score a century in three successive Test innings.
Andrew Strauss was the only other player to be dismissed today, but while the England skipper will have been disappointed to have fallen to his opposite number Chris Gayle, he will have been delighted with his side's progress on a placid pitch.
Strauss departed midway through the morning session, and after his spat with Gayle earlier in the week, it was inevitable that the England skipper would fall at the hands of his West Indian rival.
Having cruised to 26 without alarm, Strauss gloved an attempted sweep to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who took a difficult catch down the leg-side.
That ended an opening stand of 69 - the ninth 50 partnership Strauss and Cook have scored together for their country - but did little to check England's serene progress against some uninspired West Indian bowling.
Strauss and Gayle's head-to-head provided an intriguing sub-plot, but the day's main talking point was the sparse attendance at Chester-le-Street.
Around 2,000 supporters were present as the day got underway - little more than watched the start of Durham's opening County Championship game against Yorkshire - and there were more than 10,000 empty seats for the whole of the day's play.
With the weather having remained dry throughout, Durham officials will have been disappointed that more spectators did not decide to attend on the day.
** READ A FULL REPORT AND ANALYSIS IN TOMORROW'S NORTHERN ECHO **
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