CHESTER LE STREET, England, (Reuters) – Ravi Bopara  has experienced wildly contrasting fortunes in his fledgling  England test career.  Written off after three successive ducks in Sri Lanka in  2007, he completed his third century in a row against West  Indies yesterday to put England in a dominant position in the  second test.  Bopara, 24, said he never doubted his ability even during  his miserable tour.  “Sri Lanka was the toughest part of my career but I didn’t  think for one minute that I wasn’t going to be a test player,”  he told a news conference.

“I knew I had to go away and work on my game and I knew I  was going to come back a  better player.”

Bopara got his chance against West Indies in Barbados in  February and he took it with a fine knock of 104.

He then made 143 in the first test against the Windies at  Lord’s and became only the fifth Englishman to make three test  centuries in a row with his fluent 108 at Durham.

“I felt good from the minute I went in,” Bopara said. “I was  seeing the ball really well and I wanted to make the most of  it.”

Bopara shared a 213-run second-wicket partnership with his  Essex team mate Alastair Cook, who also made a century under the  watchful gaze of former England captain Graham Gooch.

Gooch, one of the batsmen who has made three test hundreds  in a row, has been a major influence in the careers of both  young batsmen.

“Goochie has been amazing for me and I’ve just got so much  respect for him,” Bopara said. “He had a word with me this  morning and told me just to play straight. That’s what he always  tells me.”

England ended the first day on 302 for two.