Strauss satisfied with 96

Andrew Strauss is enjoying a reversal in fortune after scoring 96 in England’s first innings of the series against India yesterday at Lord’s.

Even though it was four short of the coveted milestone, Strauss will have breathed a sigh of relief after a year to forget in both forms of the game.

“I had a slight rush of blood to the head there and it was a pretty frustrating walk back to the dressing room, but I would have taken 96 at the start of the day,” he said after being dismissed by Anil Kumble.

“The wicket was a little bit quicker than normal Lord’s wickets and it wasn’t necessarily easy out there.”

Strauss finally had some luck come his way when he was dropped in incredible circumstances by Dinesh Karthik on 43.

“I was berating myself for playing such a terrible shot and I was sort of mentally walking back to the dressing room and fortunately he dropped it,” Strauss told Reuters after the first day’s play.

“I think these luck things do even themselves out. I’ve had a few slices of bad luck over the last few months and that was a big slice of good luck. People say they even themselves out and sometimes you think they don’t but generally they do.”

England and India resume hostilities today at Lord’s for day two of the first Test, with England on 4-268 with Pietersen (34) and Sidebottom (0) still at the crease.