a breakthrough of sorts came in the 1997–98 test series against the west indies when he scored 154 in the fifth test in barbados. it was his first test century and it earned him regular selection for the england team for the next few years. while he scored a number of fifties against various teams (notably australia), he only added one more century to his tally – 133 against australia at the oval in the 2001 ashes series. he was not picked again after england's tour of new zealand in march 2002.