Century energises Bopara

_{A jet-lagged but jubilant Ravi Bopara spoke to ECBtv after hitting a century in Barbados}

Ravi Bopara shrugged off the effects of jet lag to hit a hundred for England today - and is prepared for a Test recall.

Bopara, 23, struck an unbeaten 124 against the Barbados Cricket Association President’s XI just a day after completing a 41-hour trek across the globe from New Zealand.

He and Amjad Khan were summoned from England Lions’ tour as joint cover for Andrew Flintoff, who will miss the penultimate match of the Wisden Trophy campaign at Kensington Oval.

Fast bowler Khan weighed in with two wickets before the close as the young home team struggled to 49 for four, but it was arguably Bopara’s aggressive batting which will have caught the selectors’ eyes.

“I would have no choice but to get sorted,” said Bopara, reflecting on getting his body clock sorted for a possible fourth cap on Thursday.

“I am a little bit on my way already because I didn’t sleep during the day today and that should help me massively.

“I lost where I was for a bit; I didn’t even know what day it was. I woke up at about 3am last night and didn’t get back to sleep.

“I got a bit sleepy at that start of the game but the physio told me to stay awake and I could sleep later.

“So I went in to bat, didn’t think too much about it and tried to enjoy myself.

“Getting a hundred today gives me a massive boost and an opportunity.”

Although Bopara has remained a feature of England one-day squads over the past 12 months, he has not played a Test since December 2007 in Sri Lanka.

“After the way Sri Lanka went I was resigned to working hard to getting my Test spot back,” Bopara said. “I haven’t been frustrated, I have been looking for my opportunity but I knew I had to work for it.

“I wasn’t just going to get it given to me because of the players about these days. When I do get it I have to make it count.”

Bopara had suspected bad news when academy director David Parsons summoned him to his hotel room one morning earlier this week.

“I thought I was in trouble when he asked me to go to his room,” he admitted. “I went in and got told Freddie had picked up an injury.

“Since I was a young boy in school every time I got called in I was in trouble, it just reminded me of my headmaster.