Bopara relaxed after staking his Ashes claim with century.

RAVI Bopara laid down his case for Ashes selection with a second successive Test hundred against the West Indies at Lord's.

And afterwards he claimed his recent stint in the Indian Premier League put him in the right frame of mind.

On the opening day of the first Test, the Essex star made the most of some dropped catches to stand unbeaten on 118 at the close. The hosts struggled elsewhere as they reached 289 for seven by stumps.

Bopara joined the likes of Kevin Pietersen - who was out for a golden duck - and Andrew Flintoff in the IPL. And despite the controversy over the participation of England players so close to the Test series, he insisted it was the ideal preparation.

"I felt really good (during the IPL) in the nets and in the middle," he said. "If anything, I think it's better because if you're coming off one-day cricket, you are positive. If you're a little bit negative you don't get into those good positions, so I think it worked in my favour." Bopara insisted he had been relaxed both before and during an innings which may have clinched a place in this summer's Ashes battle. "I've not been thinking too much about it over the last few days," he said. "I was out with friends last night.

I just came in and played naturally. I felt really relaxed." Of his ton, Bopara added: "I wanted to get it with a single. I thought 'just keep doing what you're doing'." Bopara backed England's attack to hit back today, adding: "It nibbled early on and it swung the whole day. The way our bowlers bowl in these conditions, it suits them - hopefully we can get stuck into them." Bopara was twice dropped during the final session - astonishingly sixth-wicket partner Stuart Broad was put down on four occasions - as England were given a huge let-off in their quest to regain the Wisden Trophy.

Broad's luck finally ran out, however, when he sliced one to backward point off the giant Benn.

Yorkshire's Tim Bresnan, one of England's two debutants in the contest, was then harshly adjudged leg before to a Sulieman Benn delivery angling in, on the eve of stumps.

Fidel Edwards' fiery post-lunch spell, which accounted for three wickets in a six-over period, required an English rearguard.

Bopara witnessed the devastation from the non-striker's end, which began when Essex colleague Alastair Cook's lack of footwork resulted in him re-directing the ball back into the stumps.

Kevin Pietersen, in his first innings in this country since his high-profile demise as captain in the new year, was spectacularly dismissed first ball when a full delivery left him in the air and flew off the outside edge through to Ramdin, who changed direction to cling on onehanded.

More outswing from Edwards was rewarded with a third afternoon success when Durham's Paul Collingwood edged low to second slip, where Devon Smith made the chance look easy. It was in contrast to what followed, however, as the West Indians became the latest victims of Lord's difficult background - England dropped nine chances against Sri Lanka three years ago.

Bopara arrived at the crease when captain Andrew Strauss, who stacked up more than 500 runs in the away series defeat to West Indies, perished in the seventh over of the innings.

Strauss, named England player of the year at an awards ceremony in the Lord's Long Room on Monday night, swished fatally at a Jerome Taylor delivery outside off-stump. He did not operate in his usual carefree manner, however, and was happy to play second fiddle to Matt Prior during a stand of 84 for the fifth wicket.

Having hit eight boundaries in 42, which sent him through the 1,000-run barrier in Tests, Prior slapped his first ball after tea straight to cover to provide Edwards, another who spent time at the IPL, a fourth success.

The aerial movement would have encouraged new boys Bresnan and Graham Onions, of Durham, both selected as England sought to buck their failure to take 20 wickets in six winter Tests.

The pace-bowling pair's inclusion in the XI meant left-arm spinner Monty Panesar returned to county duty with Northamptonshire..

S C O R E B OA R D England v West Indies At: Lord's West Indies Won Toss England First Innings Close A J Strauss c Ramdin b Taylor .......................... 16 A N Cook b Edwards ........................................ 35 R S Bopara not out .........................................118 K P Pietersen c Ramdin b Edwards..................... 0 P D Collingwood c D S Smith b Edwards ............. 8 M J Prior c Simmons b Edwards....................... 42 S C J Broad c Taylor b Benn ............................. 38 T T Bresnan lbw b Benn ..................................... 9 G P Swann not out ............................................ 7 Extras (b1 lb2 w7 nb6 pens 0) .................... 16 Total (7 wkts (90 overs)) ........................... 289 Fall: 1-28 2-92 3-92 4-109 5-193 6-262 7-275 To Bat: J M Anderson, G Onions.

Bowling: Taylor 17 2 57 1; Edwards 19 4 53 4; Baker 18 4 59 0; Benn 26 4 80 2; Nash 2 1 2 0; Simmons 5 1 24 0; Gayle 3 0 11 0;

CAPTION(S):

CELEBRATIONS West Indies' Fidel Edwards celebrates after England's Kevin Pietersen is out for a golden duck, caught by Denesh Ramdin. Right, Bopara is congratulated by Stuart Broad. STRAIGHT BAT Ravi Bopara on his way to his century for England.