English limp into Lord's expecting to win

First npower Test, Lord's
England v West Indies

Chris O'Keefe

The winter was certainly one of discontent, carnage and little reward for an England side needing to remember what they are capable of. However, a new coach, new players and a new season could help change that.

Whatever the faults England could find in Australia and the Caribbean, they are still favourites against a West Indies side, minus a the legend and often the catalyst in Brian Lara and minus a decent preparation coming up to this game. In many ways the undercooked nature of the England side before the start of the Ashes is mirrored here. A shaky start against Somerset, which eventually succumbed to the heavens is all Ramnaresh Sarwan's team have to build on since the World Cup.

In addition to that, West Indian players are subject to curfew which haven't been so universally received by the players. Chris Gayle certainly believes he would do things differently, however it could be suggested that it is for players like Gayle, who are sometimes criticised for not focusing entirely on the cricketing task in hand. This is far from a side to rank with the great touring West Indian side of the past.

Simon Hughes may well be right when he implied that this series may be over by the beginning of June, such being the stresses of modern international cricket were teams patch up and move on to the next game. The game's powers that be have sacrificed the sanctity of quality top level competition, to profit from the frequency of such events which rarely touch the heights they actually should.

Simon Jones, Michael Vaughan, Ashley Giles and Flintoff to name just four have fell to the physical pressure the relentless calandar comes with. Marcus Trescothick is still trying make a comeback from frequent stress related problems exacerbated by the game in the current state. It doesn't read like a clash of the titans so far!

Come Thursday morning, England will start favourites to win and win comfortably if they hit the straps. That such a side with it's own psychological doubts, and physical ones with Flintoff as an example limping towards selection rather than bullishly may reflect in the attendances at Lord's. England v West Indies was once a ticket resembling golddust will be readily available on the day.

It's a sad reflection of the opposition's fall from grace, but more so the overdone occasion that once had it's place at the same time of the year as Wimbledon as a tradition, now dragged into a grey May week for the benefit of the accounts.

Picture: Getty Images (via Cricinfo.com)