Strauss takes lead in slow march

Andrew Strauss will score tougher runs than he did yesterday against a threadbare West Indies attack but, magnificent in its single-mindedness and focus, he may not play many more important innings, writes Mike Atherton in the Times.

One man's desperation is another's caution. England selected five specialist bowlers, the West Indies just three. England chose two regular spinners, the West Indies none. That is no misreading of the pitch, just a difference in priorities, writes Steve James in the Telegraph.

Andrew Strauss, with another half-century, was leading the way once more as England set out on their quest to win the final Test and level the series but it was a slow march rather than a charge, writes Mike Selvey in the Guardian.

Andrew Strauss scored his third hundred in successive Tests, a feat only Graham Gooch has managed as England captain. Strauss reached the milestone with a cheeky single off Chris Gayle, his own mastery over the West Indies yet to be matched by the rest of his team, writes Derek Pringle in the Telegraph.

After surviving a nervous start in Trinidad, Owais Shah may yet justify the selectors' faith in him, writes Vic Marks in the Guardian.

No one will gain anything from preaching on the competitive grave of Steve Harmison, and, all the evidence suggests, least of all the man himself. However, it is impossible not to believe that his story, his long and unsuccessful wrestle with the challenge of performing according to his potential, is a haunting parable of what has been wrong with English cricket for so long, writes James Lawton in the Independent.

Amjad Khan's appearance in a Test match for England yesterday was extraordinary for at least three reasons. First, he was born and brought up in Copenhagen and thus becomes the first Dane to play Test cricket. Secondly, he was not originally selected for this tour and has been preferred to two fast bowlers who were. Thirdly, he has had to overcome career-threatening injury which kept him out of cricket for 18 months, writes Stephen Brenkley in the Independent.

Even before a ball was bowled, the West Indies indicated by their selection their intention to disregard the purpose of any sporting contest - to win, writes Tony Cozier in the Trinidad Express.