Flintoff's dynamic innings was the centrepiece of England's 566 for nine declared on Friday.

"The wicket was flat so the hardest part was fighting against myself. I thought my shot selection was all right," 26-year-old Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff told reporters.

"I tried to play the ball up close under my nose and rely on technique rather than just power," Flintoff added after a 191 ball-innings featuring seven sixes and 17 fours.

The powerfully-built Flintoff spent the best part of a year on the sidelines with a hernia injury that ruled him out of the 2002-03 Ashes Test series in Australia.

But he said he had become a better player since his return.

"I've still got time but I feel I have a better understanding of my own game," explained Flintoff who has now passed fifty in six consecutive Tests.

One of his sixes, a superb lofted on-drive off fast bowler Jermaine Lawson, sailed into the top tier of the Ryder Stand where Flintoff's father Colin, a club cricketer, dropped the 'catch'.

"He plays at the weekend and when he comes home he tells everyone what a great catch he's taken," Flintoff said. "He proved to everyone today he was terrible.

"I thought he was going to come over the balcony (in the act of catching the ball) he was so excited."

Meanwhile Flintoff's father said: "I saw it early but it just bounced off my left hand."

However it was a disappointing day for West Indies captain Brian Lara who fell on 95.

That meant he still needed 20 runs to reach 10,000 runs in Tests. The 35-year-old left-handed batsman, on his last tour of England, still has another chance to join the elite group on the Edgbaston ground where 10 years ago he scored a first-class world record 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham.

"I had the 'pleasure' of bowling at Lara when he got his (Test world record) 400 not out at Antigua in April. He's a class player and he's proved he's one of the greats of the game," Flintoff said.

West Indies have lost 29 of their last 39 Tests away from home. But one plus point to emerge from a largely poor bowling display was the form of 20-year-old all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.

In only his second Test the medium-pacer took four for 76 although his efforts were not enough to prevent West Indies conceding over 500 runs for the eighth time in nine Tests abroad.

"I must compliment Dwayne Bravo. He was outstanding," West Indies centurion Ramnaresh Sarwan said. "It was great to see a young player grabbing his opportunity with both hands."

Turning to Flintoff, he added: "He was taking a lot of risks but you can't take anything away from him. In terms of striking the ball it was one of the best innings I've seen."

But if anyone can upstage Flintoff's display Lara can. "Brian told us before we left the Caribbean that this would be his last tour of England," said Sarwan.

"It will obviously be a very emotional moment if he does it (scores 10,000 runs) at Edgbaston."