England face their must-win contest
In a week when off-field events have wrenched cricket into the headlines for all the wrong reasons, England's struggles in the Caribbean have been put into stark context
Match facts
Friday March 6 to 10Start time 10.00am (14.00GMT)
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In a week when off-field events have wrenched cricket into the headlines for all the wrong reasons, England's struggles in the Caribbean have been put into stark context. Nevertheless, they have a series to salvage and one last chance to do so, as the teams move to Trinidad for the fifth and final Test. England entered the series with high hopes of victory, but ever since their humiliating innings defeat in Jamaica last month, they have been playing catch-up to a spirited team of competitors who have found a way to stay one step ahead.Form guide (most recent first)
West Indies DDDWDEngland DDDLD
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Fidel Edwards : The last two Tests have been bat-dominated affairs, but one man alone has possessed the necessary pace and aggression to fight the bowlers' corner. Edwards' first-innings figures of 3 for 151 at Bridgetown were a travesty. He bowled like the wind with the new ball, giving England the serious hurry-up, and only desperate bad luck - and a slew of dropped catches - denied him his rightful haul. If there is anything sporting in the wicket at Port-of-Spain, he is in the form to get his belated rewards.Team news
Despite the toothlessness of England's Barbados attack, there will be no immediate reprieve for Harmison, who has pitched his tent in the dog-house for the remainder of this trip. Sidebottom must also surely sit this one out, having struggled visibly with an Achilles problem that left his pace below 80mph for long periods of the fourth Test. Do England therefore opt for a second spinner in Monty Panesar, who has himself struggled for penetration in recent months, or does the young thruster Amjad Khan come into the equation instead. He's rapid and can swing the ball, and might yet be the best option in a must-win contest. One other change will be the return of Matt Prior, safely back in the fold after his paternity leave, for Tim Ambrose.Pitch and conditions
It's a result wicket, so they say, but then Antigua was said to be "spicy" and Barbados was meant to be full of pace and bounce. Even if the Queen's Park Oval is more conducive to a proper contest, it's unlikely West Indies will object to another featherbed. They have their lead, after all, so why would they risk squandering it? Another factor could be the weather. The equator is close by, and the rains have been heavy in recent weeks.Stats & Trivia
- The Queen's Park Oval is a ground that England have loved and loathed in equal measures in recent years. It was on this ground in March 1994 that they were infamously rolled over by Curtly Ambrose for 46, and they lost their next match four years later, by three wickets, in spite of 11 scalps for Angus Fraser. Since then, however, they have won two out of two.
Quotes
"I suppose fundamental to all of it is what is the best way of winning this game. Drawing it is no good for us."Andrew Strauss mulls over England's tricky team selection
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo