England Duo Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott Experience Contrasting Fortunes on Day 1

Warwickshire's two batsmen on duty for England in the first Test against West Indies could not have had more contrasting opening days in Antigua.

While Ian Bell made 143 to help the visitors reach 341 for five by the close of play, Jonathan Trott marked his international comeback with a three-ball duck.

The dismissal of Trott, caught at second slip off the fifth ball of the match, put England on the back foot in the early stages at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Skipper Alastair Cook and Gary Ballance also were unable to survive during a testing opening session against some accurate seam bowling, leaving England wobbling at 34 for three. 

However, Bell combined with Joe Root in a fourth-wicket alliance of 177 that turned the tide in North Sound, a venue that once saw a Test abandoned after 10 deliveries due to a sandy outfield.

While Root fell short of a century, bowled off an inside edge by Jerome Taylor for 83, Bell went on to reach three figures after tea. 

It was a moment of redemption for Bell, who reached the landmark with a moment of good fortune. When England were last in the Caribbean for a Test series in 2009, the right-hander was dropped from the team.

Back then, the tourists were bowled out for 51 in their second innings of the first match in Jamaica to lose by an inning. Bell contributed four runs to their score—he had to wait six months to play in his next Test.

Just over six years on from that low point and Bell was the hero, rather than the scapegoat.

He played with great control while notching his 22nd Test ton. Normally a fluent driver, he picked up a vast number of runs behind square on both sides of the wicket, as shown in his scoring wagon wheel:

During the course of his innings, he overtook Wally Hammond to move into ninth place on England's all-time leading scorers list. Considering he has just turned 33, as well as the hectic Test schedule ahead, there's a chance he can move up a few more spots before 2015 is finished.

It took a superb delivery from Kemar Roach late in the day to bring Bell's knock to an end.

He was crestfallen at failing to make it through to the close of play, slowly trudging away from the crease after being given out caught behind, all the while shaking his head in disappointment.

He had no need to look so disgusted with himself—his contribution to England's cause had been critical.

The same could not be said of Trott, who made an inauspicious return to the international fold.

Representing England for the first time since leaving the 2013-14 Ashes tour early due to a stress-related illness, the South Africa-born batsman was selected to open alongside captain Cook. 

Runs at the domestic level—he scored three hundreds in eight LV= County Championship outings—as well as useful scores for the England Lions on their tour of South Africa pushed Trott back into contention.

Tertius Pickard/Associated Press

Preferred to Adam Lyth in Antigua, Trott—who had opened twice before in Test cricket, both times against Bangladesh—had little time to savour the moment, edging a perfectly pitched outswinger from Taylor.

While more used to batting at three in his career, he still knows the perils of coming up against a new ball. Sometimes, there is not a lot you can do after being dismissed other than tip your hat to the bowler.

Trott should not fret; further opportunities to score runs are never going to be too far away during a series that consists of three back-to-back Tests.

The selectors will hope he can nail down the opening berth, a problematic position since the retirement of former captain Andrew Strauss, ahead of the Ashes in the summer.

Considering all he has been through off the field, as he explained in an exclusive interview with Matt Lawton of the Daily Mail, it is a huge achievement for Trott just to be back playing at the highest level again.