Lendl Simmons hit a superb 282 as West Indies A declared on 574-8 against England on day two of the three-day tour match in St Kitts.

Simmons resumed on 171 and added 111 for a career-best total before he was out lbw to Ryan Sidebottom, his first wicket after a six-month injury layoff.

England lost Alastair Cook to a first-ball duck but had raced to 134-2 by the close of play at Warner Park.

Captain Andrew Strauss was not out on 59 while Ian Bell made 52.

606: DEBATE Why don't England walk off the pitch and have a net session as they are more likely to get a benefit from this? garywarriner

Strauss struck nine fours off 88 balls in an accomplished half century as he and Bell shared a second-wicket stand of 114.

Bell failed to take advantage of being dropped on 49, bowled around his legs attempting to sweep leg-spinner Gavin Wallace.

Steve Harmison was the pick of the England bowlers, finishing with 4-101 off 25.5 overs.

The Durham paceman's post-lunch spell reaped a double breakthrough when extra bounce unsettled Leon Johnson and a fortuitous lbw decision accounted for home captain Darren Sammy.

Lendl Simmons is congratulated by Kevin Pietersen after his fine knock

But the day belonged to Simmons, who smashed 26 fours and eight sixes before the hosts declared shortly after tea.

Sidebottom eventually trapped the 24-year-old Trinidadian, the nephew of former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons, after more than nine-and-a-half hours at the crease.

With the first Test in Jamaica just a few days away, Harmison was happy with the workout in St Kitts.

"With tours getting shorter, that was the perfect exercise," he said. "You do not have as many warm-up games, so to have 150 overs has probably done us the world of good."

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