A Test best 167 from Andrew Flintoff steered England to 566 for nine declared while the West Indies lost two early wickets in reply before recovering in the second Test at Edgbaston on Friday.

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara led the tourists to 184 for two at stumps on the second day after Ashley Giles caught Devon Smith one-handed in the gully and Matthew Hoggard grabbed his second wicket when Chris Gayle was bowled around his legs.

Lara (74 not out) came to the crease on 12 for two and looked in ominous form hitting some flashing cover drives while Sarwan (87 not out) was well set for a century after failing in the first Test at Lord's.

Flintoff had earlier played with precision and power as he put England into a commanding position.

He guided the ball around the ground with care for his fifty before accelerating to a fourth Test hundred, punishing the West Indies pace attack with effortless strokes.

In all he hit seven sixes including three off one Omari Banks over. The first went down the ground to bring up Flintoff's 150, next ball he clubbed another over deep mid wicket and then repeated the feat two balls later.

The tall all-rounder was finally undone when Dwayne Bravo trapped him lbw with an excellent slower ball. The 20-year-old Trinidadian ended with four for 76 from 24 overs.

Flintoff had some luck, a loose shot on 67 flying just wide of Lara at first slip while Jermaine Lawson spilled a sharp caught-and-bowled chance.

Wicketkeeper Geraint Jones also impressed with 74, giving him an average above 50 from eight Test innings. He fell when Corey Collymore found a hint of away movement with a good length ball and induced a nick behind.

England's last six batsmen put on 304, more than the top order, with final pair Hoggard and Steve Harmison (31 not out) sharing a 41-run stand.

The hosts lead the four-match series 1-0 after a 210-run victory in the first Test at Lord's.

Scoreboard

England (1st innings): (overnight 313-5)
 M.Trescothick c Lara b Bravo 105
 A.Strauss c Jacobs b Lawson 24
 R.Key c Lara b Collins 29
 M.Vaughan c and b Bravo 12
 G.Thorpe c Jacobs b Collymore 61
 A.Flintoff lbw Bravo 167
 G.Jones c Jacobs b Colleymore 74
 A.Giles c Chanderpaul b Bravo 24
 M.Hoggard not out 15
 J.Anderson b Banks 2
 S.Harmison not out 31.

Extras: (lb-6, w-1, nb-15) 22

Total: (566-9 declared, 134 overs) 566

Fall of wickets: 1-77, 2-125, 3-150, 4-210, 5-262, 6-432, 7-478, 8-522, 9-525

Bowling: Collins 18-1-90-1 (nb-10), Collymore 30-6-126-2 (nb-2), Lawson 23-4-111-1 (nb-2), Bravo 24-6-76-4 (nb-1 w-1), Banks 27-3-108-1, Sarwan 12-0-49-0.

West Indies (1st innings):
C.Gayle b Hoggard 7
 D.Smith c Giles b Hoggard 4
 R.Sarwan not out 87
 B.Lara not out 74

Extras: (b-9, lb-2, nb-1) 12

Total: (for two wickets, 40 overs) 184

To bat: S.Chanderpaul, D.Bravo, R.Jacobs, O.Banks, P.Collins, J.Lawson, C.Collymore.

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-12

Bowling: Hoggard 8-0-48-2, Harmison 8-0-41-0, Anderson 4-1-18-0, Giles 14-2-45-0, Flintoff 6-0-21-0 (nb-1).