Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss both scored hundreds as England posted an imposing 285 for seven in their NatWest Series one-day international against the West Indies at Lord's here Tuesday.

Flintoff's 123 was his second hundred in successive matches while Strauss' 100 was his maiden one-day international century in the Middlesex captain's first limited-overs international on his home ground.

Left-hander Strauss had already made a century on his Test debut, against New Zealand, at Lord'sin May.

Their stand of 226 in 188 balls was an England one-day international record for all wickets surpassing the previous best of 213 set by Neil Fairbrother and Graeme Hick against the West Indies at Lord's back in 1991.

Flintoff, whose 106 in Sunday's six-wicket defeat by New Zealand was his maiden one-day international hundred, faced 104 balls with six sixes and eight fours.

Strauss and Flintoff, who came together at 54 for three, had performed a similar rescue act on Sunday where their stand of 122 had revived England after they slumped to 57 for three.

West Indies captain Brian Lara won the toss and elected to field in a match where victory for his side would see through into Saturday's Lord's final against New Zealand while a bonus-point win for England would qualify them for the showpiece.

Every completed match in the series so far had been won by the team bowling first, and England had not won setting a target since last year's World Cup, so they were entitled to fear the worst when Lara called correctly.

And Tino Best took two wickets for seven runs in 12 balls to get rid of

England openers Trescothick, bowled, and England captain Michael Vaughan, caught behind, cheaply.

Vaughan's exit meant he had scored just 47 runs in five series innings.

However Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff, unable to bowl because of an ankle injury, got off the mark with a four against off-spinner Chris Gayle.

Meanwhile Strauss continued to bat in composed fashion against a West Indies attack lacking paceman Jermaine Lawson because of flu.

Strauss, who made 61 on Sunday, was lucky however when he just cleared a back-pedalling Gayle on the mid-wicket fence with a pulled six off Dwayne Smith before Flintoff twice hoisted Bravo over the rope again.

Strauss then struck two superb off-driven fours and lofted Bravo for six before on-driving him for four as the bowler's last over cost 21 runs.

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Flintoff's 91-ball hundred came up in style with a six off Dwayne Smith.

Next ball he pulled the bowler disdainfully for another six.

Flintoff then lofted Gayle to the long-on boundary where he was 'caught' by Shivanrine Chanderpaul but the fielder stepped over the rope and so Flintoff had another six.

But next ball there was no doubt when his drive sailed over long-off.

Flintoff fell in the last over when he was caught off Gayle before Strauss's scampered two took him to a 115 ballhundred with two sixes and eight fours.

Next ball he was out but in the last 10 overs England had scored 121 runs.

Bravo's 10 overs cost 80 runs and Dwayne Smith's 71 as the hosts plundered the change bowlers.

SCOREBOARD

Scoreboard of the England innings against West Indies in the NatWest Series one-day international at Lord's on Tuesday:

ENGLAND

Trescothick b Best 11

Vaughan c Jacobs b Best 8

Key b Dwayne 19

Strauss c Bravo b Gayle 100

Flintoff c Bradshaw b Gayle 123 Collingwood c D S Smith b Gayle 1 Jones run out 1

Giles not out 0

Extras: (lb-6, w-10, nb-6) 22

Total: (For 7 wkts in 50 overs) 285 Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-27, 3-54, 4-280, 5-284, 6-284, 7-285

Did not bat: Gough, Harmison, Anderson

Bowler O M R W

Bradshaw 10 2 29 0

Best 10 1 42 2

Bravo 10 2 80 0

Dwayne 10 1 71 1

Gayle 10 0 57 3

WEST INDIES: Gayle, Devon, Sarwan, Lara, Chanderpaul, Powell, Bravo, Dwayne, Jacobs, Bradshaw, Best.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (South

Africa) and Jeremy Lloyds (England).