Tony Becca - CONTRIBUTING EDITORLONDON:
THE WEST Indies go into the Test series against England at Lord's today with the odds stacked against them but with a confidence that if they click, if they do what they can do, they can match the home team, draw first blood, and go on to win the four-match contest.
Three-one winners when they last hosted the West Indies in 2000, 3-0 winners in the Caribbean a few months ago, England, undefeated in their past 10 matches after winning nine and drawing one, boast back-to-back victories against the West Indies, and the consensus on yesterday's eve of the opening match was that when this series is over it will be three out of three.
HIGHLY FANCIED
In fact, listening to a number of hometown fans, many believe that it will be so easy for England that it is not so much who will win but whether England can win all four and avenge the 5-0 losses in 1984 and 1986.
Apart from their dominance of the past two series, England are so highly fancied to knock off the West Indies simply because they possess a batting line-up that looks solid, they are led by a captain who sticks to the tried and proven and who motivates his men. They are brilliant in the field, and the weather overcast and damp has been typically English and promises to remain so throughout the summer.
The main reason, however, is the quality of their attack.
In pacers Steve Harmison the man who ambushed and destroyed the West Indies for a record low 47 at Sabina Park with figures of 7-12 and who has taken 44 wickets in the past two series in just seven matches, Matthew Hoggard the man who picked off the West Indies with a hat-trick at Kensington Oval, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff, plus James Anderson and left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, England possess a super attack a set of bowlers who bring different skills to the table.
Arguably the best attack that England have had since the days of pace bowlers Fred Trueman, Brian Statham and Trevor Bailey and spin bowlers Jim Laker and Tony Lock many moons ago, it could be deadly in the present conditions.
As good as the England batting, fielding and captaincy appear to be, as awesome as their bowling is, captain Brian Lara and his West Indians believe they can rise to the occasion, win the first Test, and take it from there.
One reason for the belief is that Flintoff, an important part of England's attack, is unlikely to bowl because of an injured left ankle; another is that Mark Butcher, the experienced No. 3 batsman is out of the England line-up due to a whiplash injury suffered in a motor car accident on Monday; and another is that the man coming in is Robert Key, who, as good as he is reported to be, is not nearly as experienced.
CONFIDENCE
The West Indies' confidence, however, is based on the fact that in Christopher Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Lara, they possess two brilliant batsmen, one batsman with the skill to fight and the ability to explode, the greatest batsman of his time, and if they hit form, if they are at their best, they can out-bat England.
On top of that, the talented Devon Smith will be there, and so too the exciting Dwayne Smith or the more cautious Dwayne Bravo plus Ridley Jacobs.
To win, however, the West Indies will have to bowl out England, not once but twice, and Lara believes that his bowlers, particularly pacers Fidel Edwards, Tino Best and Pedro Collins can do it.
Although it is a big "if", the West Indies believe that if their really fast bowlers, Edwards and Best, can bowl a good line and a good length, if they can cut down on the number of no-balls, their pace will upset England's batsmen, and that if Collins can do likewise, his left-arm swing bowling will be a perfect foil.
The West Indies will need one more bowler, however, and although it should be offspinner Omari Banks, the reading is that although he is not yet back to his normal self following corrective measures to his action and injury, they will go for pacer Jermaine Lawson especially if the weather remains as it has been for the past few weeks.
Who will be one up after the opening Test?
ENGLAND FAVOURED
The odds favour England who won the last encounter at Lord's after a dramatic recovery during which they routed the West Indies for 54 and especially so if there is no change in the weather.
The West Indies, however, have a chance - especially if the weather changes.
That is why Vaughan, with Harmison and company, is hoping for the dark clouds to remain and why Lara, with his line-up of strokeplayers, is praying for five days of sunshine.
Teams:
ENGLAND (probable): Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Robert Key, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones, Steve Harmison.
WEST INDIES (probable): Brian Lara (captain), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Ridley Jacobs, Omari Banks, Tino Best, Pedro Collins.
