LONDON, CMC:
WEST INDIAN skipper Brian Lara is all too aware of the threat posed by an England bowling attack led by Steve Harmison.
The tall Durham pacer was his country's trump card in the Caribbean this year, taking 23 wickets in the four Tests as England romped to a 3-0 triumph, their first in the West Indies for 36 years.
He then returned home to take 21 wickets in the 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand and Lara is hoping that his opposite number, Michael Vaughan, might be getting too reliant on an overworked Harmison.
PLAN B
"England seem to want to turn to him (Harmison) each and every time," the West Indies captain noted.
"I'm not sure if he is going to last the entire summer, and if we do get hold of him, then I don't know if they have a Plan B. I'm expecting our guys, having faced him in the Caribbean, to be better able to adapt to his style of bowling."
The hosts' preparations have been hit by the loss of Mark Butcher, who is suffering the effects of 'whiplash' after his car was hit from behind in the heat of the London traffic on Monday.
Robert Key, who failed to impress in the three-nation series and last played a Test against Zimbabwe at Chester-le-Street 14 months ago, takes the experienced left-hander's place in the middle-order.
Nasser Hussain, having retired after the Lord's Test against New Zealand two months ago, it means England will be without two key elements of their triumph in the West Indies.
GILES GUARANTEED
Interestingly, Vaughan has virtually guaranteed the inclusion of left-arm spin bowler Ashley Giles, who was unimpressive on West Indian pitches, leaving the last bowling spot as a toss-up between fast bowlers Simon Jones and James Anderson.
Whatever the combination, the England captain is clear as to his strategy to contain the opposing batsmen.
"We are hoping two out of the three (seamers) will come to the party and get the wickets we require," he said.
"When you play against the West Indies, you just try to get them under pressure-bowling dot balls and bowling in the right areas. That will be one of our huge game-plans for this game."
