CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (AP) - Alastair Cook closed on his ninth Test century to lead England to 184 for one wicket at tea on day one of the second Test against West Indies.

Resuming on 85-1 after captain Andrew Strauss had been dismissed in the morning session, England pressed toward a big total for the second straight Test.

Cook and Bopara then continued the leisurely pace of the morning session in front of a sparse crowd, with only 3,000 advance tickets sold at Test cricket’s most northerly ground.

Cook struck just eight boundaries in his 177-ball 82 not out, with Ravi Bopara, who hit a century in England’s crushing first-Test win, on 59.

But Bopara had a lucky escape shortly after reaching his half-century, when he glanced a delivery by Lionel Baker that Denesh Ramdin couldn’t quite hold.

It instead went through the wicketkeeper’s glove and went for four, boosting his attempt to secure the No. 3 berth for the subsequent Ashes series against Australia.

With few chances of a breakthrough at Durham’s Riverside Ground, England will be chasing a total at least as big as the 377 that brought it a 10-wicket win inside three days of the first Test.

This concluding Test against West Indies is the last before England tries to regain the urn from the touring Aussies.

Strauss had earlier won the toss and looked set to make it through to lunch comfortably, but tried to sweep Chris Gayle and gloved the ball to Ramdin for 26.

A. Strauss c Ramdin b Gayle 26

A. Cook not out 82

R. Bopara not out 59

Extras: (3nb, 2lb, 8b, 4w) 17

TOTAL: (for one wicket) 184

Overs: 62.

Fall of wickets: 1-69.

Still to bat: K. Pietersen, P. Collingwood, M. Prior, S. Broad, G. Swann, G. Onions, T. Bresnan, J. Anderson.

Bowling: Taylor 9-1-22-0 (1nb, 1w) , Edwards 9-0-29-0 (1nb), Baker 15-2-53-0 (3w), Gayle 12-2-28-1, Benn 17-6-42-0 (1nb).

Toss: England.

Umpires: S. Davis, (Aus), A. de Silva, (SL).

Third umpire: P. Hartley, (Eng).

Match referee: A. Pycroft, ( Zim).