I had the best seat in the house for Cook masterclass - Malan

Dawid Malan believes he was given a first-hand lesson in how to succeed in Test cricket after taking "the best seat in the house" for Alastair Cook's batting masterclass as England again dominated West Indies.

Former captain Cook turned an overnight 153 into a brilliant 243 to become England's highest Test run-scorer at Edgbaston.

It was a vintage display from England's record scorer in five-day cricket and, helped by Malan's knock of 65, the hosts declared on 514-8 before the visitors reached stumps at 44-1.

Malan, who made just 35 runs in two matches in the recent South Africa series, was delighted to make a contribution and learn from one of the best in game.

"I needed that," he said. "I didn't look like scoring a run against South Africa so it was nice to hit a few in the middle of the bat, and feel a bit more composed at the crease.

"Cooky gave a batting masterclass and I had the best seat in the house. Whether it is a good wicket or not, 243 is a fantastic achievement.

"I was so impressed with how disciplined he stayed, because he never looked like he strayed from his gameplan from the first over of the innings until the last.

"For someone new to international cricket it was great to watch how a master goes at his work, and it showed me what I need to do to be successful at this level.

"I have quite a few habits in the middle - I like to tap bats and gloves with my batting partner - and he was happy to go along with them to make me feel comfortable. He is a fantastic bloke as well as a fantastic player."