Strauss, Cook centuries ominous portent for Oz ahead of Ashes opener

PERTH - England skipper Andrew Strauss and opening batsman Alastair Cook struck centuries on Saturday to give their team a dominant hand in the second Ashes warm-up match against South Australia in Adelaide.

Resuming day three at 94-0, Strauss (102) and Cook (111 not out) shared a 181-run partnership to quell fears of the opening partnership emerging as England’s main batting flaw before the Ashes.

It was Strauss’ second ton in as many matches on the tour, and featured 13 boundaries and four sixes.

Cook, who entered the fixture in poor form, increasingly found touch and notched his ton from 153 balls in an innings featuring 18 fours and a six, Fox Sports reports.

The pair has succeeded after three consecutive failures to set a robust platform at the top in the tour so far.

England later declared their second innings at 240-1 to set South Australia a target of 308 runs to win the tour match.

Jonathan Trott was not out 20 when the declaration came. (ANI)