Crunch game for under-pressure tourists
Cricinfo previews the fourth Test between West Indies and England at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown
Match facts
Thursday February 26 - Monday March 2Start time 10.00am (14.00GMT)
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Big Picture
England arrived in the Caribbean with a new captain, no coach, rumours about divisions within the squad, and no victories in any form of international cricket since September, and yet they somehow retained the vague belief that the trip would be a rest cure ahead of their busy summer schedule. Two matches (and ten superfluous deliveries) into the trip, and all such illusions have been shattered. West Indies' sensational victory in the first Test in Jamaica was followed last week by a thrilling draw in Antigua that revived their momentum after the embarrassment of the aborted Test at North Sound. From Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards to Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, West Indies have mined a succession of big performances to leave them tantalisingly close to their first significant series win in six years.Form guide (most recent first)
West Indies DDWDDEngland DDLDL
Watch out for …
Ramnaresh Sarwan: With scores of 107, 94 and 106 in three innings, there is no doubting who is the form batsman of the series - though even Sarwan himself would admit that with those totals he is selling himself short. His compact power and composure at the crease have allowed him to defend without ever retreating into his shell, and arguably his only false shot of the series was the wild slog that led to his first-innings downfall in Antigua. More of the same for the remainder of the series, and England's series hopes will recede ever further.Team news
Two significant team changes have been forced on England, following Flintoff's hip injury and Prior's family priorities. Ambrose slots straight in at No. 7, but who can possibly hope to fill Flintoff's shoes? Ravi Bopara, who marked his late call-up with an attractive century in the two-day warm-up in Barbados, is the man in pole position, although an instant recall for Ian Bell cannot be discounted. Let's not forget, No. 6 was the position from which he scored three centuries in consecutive Tests against Pakistan in 2006. Graeme Swann, who has a floating piece of bone in his elbow, and Steve Harmison, whose back is suffering from "wear and tear", are both expected to be fit for selection.Pitch and conditions
The Kensington Oval produces the best pitches in the Caribbean and they still retain their pace and bounce. The expectation is that this surface, which has a covering of grass, will provide more for the quick bowlers. It has been watered a couple of times in the lead-up to the game and with the heavy showers around bowling first might be an option. The weather, meanwhile, has been a little unseasonal with frequent showers interrupting both team's practice sessions. No one is quite sure what it will do tomorrow, but be prepared for some delays.Stats & Trivia
- The Kensington Oval was once known as Fortress Bridgetown because of West Indies' formidable record on the ground - they lost only one of their first 29 Tests on the ground, and were unbeaten for 59 years until England won by 208 runs in 1993-94.
Quotes
"West Indies are in a good state in the series, but we'd like to think we played most of the cricket in the last match."Andrew Strauss doesn't believe the home side has any great advantage
West Indies coach John Dyson wants his team to avoid a repeat of the third Test
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo