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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

Jonny Bairstow hits hundred as England's batting line-up impress before West Indies tour

Jonny Bairstow scored an excellent hundred in England 's warm-up game against a West Indies President's XI as their new batting line-up impressed ahead of their first post-Ashes Test series.

In what was Bairstow's first game since making England's only hundred in the Ashes, the 32-year-old scored an unbeaten 106 and was one of five members of their top six to pass fifty.

Openers Alex Lees and Zak Crawley both notched 60s on day one of the warm-up match, with captain Joe Root also making an assured half-century after moving up the order to number three.

Dan Lawrence, preferred over Ollie Pope for this match, took advantage of his opportunity to score 83 and seemingly nail down his spot in the team for the first Test.

Jonny Bairstow is in excellent form ahead of England's Test series vs the West Indies (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

And Bairstow, coming in at number six, picked up where he left off in Sydney with a fine century that saw England declare on 466-6.

"Jonny obviously seems like he's in fantastic form at the moment and hopefully long may it continue," Lawrence said of Bairstow's innings. "Obviously he's happy and he seems like he's in a really good place."

After England declared they were left with a full session to give their bowlers a chance to take early wickets.

However, with veteran superstars James Anderson and Stuart Broad dropped for this tour, an 'off colour' Mark Wood not bowling at all and Ben Stokes still not fully fit after picking up a side injury in Australia, England's seam attack struggled to make an impact.

Neither Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes nor Craig Overton were able to pick up a wicket as they bowled a combined 20 overs with the new ball.

The West Indies President's XI reached 48-2 at the close of play, with the two wickets to fall coming courtesy of spinner Jack Leach and a run-out.

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