Bopara ton as England draw

Collingwood and Prior also warm-up with half-centuries

Last updated: 3rd July 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Bopara ton as England draw

Bopara: classy century

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First Ashes Test, Wednesday July 8, Sky Sports 1/HD1 from 10am

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Edgbaston
England 290-8 dec (A N Cook 124) & 319-3 dec (R S Bopara 104, P D Collingwood 79 no, A J Strauss 61, M J Prior 50 no) v Warwickshire 102 (J M Anderson 5-34) & 27-3
Warwickshire drew with England

Ravi Bopara notched yet another century as England completed their Ashes preparations with a rather tame draw against Warwickshire.

Rain thwarted any hopes Paul Collingwood and his men may have harboured of forcing victory on day three at Edgbaston as the morning session was washed out.

England finally resumed on 185-2 in mid-afternoon and Bopara quickly progressed from his overnight total of 88 not out to three figures.

The Essex right-hander, who had scored centuries in his last three Test appearances, maintained his fine form before retiring on 104 to bring the curtain down on an innings that featured 13 fours and a six.

His departure allowed Collingwood and Matt Prior some much-needed time in the middle and both men took full advantage against an inexperienced Warwickshire attack.

Collingwood was initially somewhat scratchy, but found his feet to finish unbeaten on 79, while Prior also notched a half-century as he cracked a fluent 50 of 67 balls.

Having chosen to declare on 319-3 just before tea, England then looked ready to launch an improbable push for victory in the 29 overs remaining in the final session.

That certainly seemed to be the case as Stuart Broad had Warwickshire skipper Ian Westwood caught behind for five in the sixth over, with Jim Troughton run out a couple of balls later.

Andrew Flintoff then chipped in with a wicket as he had 17-year-old Ateeq Javid caught at first slip after softening him up with a quick bouncer.

But with a potential 17 overs still to be played, both sides accepted the draw with England happy to focus their efforts on next week's first Test against Australia in Cardiff.