Windies and England will begin a cricket battle today in the first of three Test matches for the 2019 Wisden Trophy at the Kensington Oval in Barbados from 10 am. The venue is expected to be packed to the rafters.
England might be the second-ranked team in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ratings, and Windies are 8th, but when it comes to battling the old enemy in the Caribbean, the home team is as difficult to get past.
England has been coming to the blue waters of the Caribbean since 1930, and over the past 89 years, the Englishmen have won just three series. The last time they defeated the West Indies in a series at home was back in 2004. Since then they have won only one match in eight attempts in the Caribbean.
In Barbados, the England fans try their best to make it a 'home' venue for them by landing in Bridgetown in their thousands, yet their record is dismal at the region's Mecca.
In fifteen Bridgetown battles, the Englishmen have opened champagne once, the Windies celebrated victory on five occasions, while seven matches were undecided.
English fans have been arriving on the London to Barbados air and sea bridge since last week. They have snapped up nearly every available room and bars are stocking up on beer, as they intend to make this a memorable trip. Their team arrived in Barbados with five successive wins, looking to tie their 2010 record for the most wins on the trot.
Skipper Joe Root is feeling it. He said, "It's a great opportunity for this side to go one further, show that we're desperate to get to that No.1 status and keep developing as a squad. We know it's been one win in a long time here. It's tough for English sides to come here and win, and this West Indies team is very good in their own conditions."
Windies Test form in recent times has not been good and they come into this red ball match with four losses in a row. Skipper Jason Holder admits this: "Our consistency is something that has really plagued us in the past; particularly with our batting. I just think we need to start the series well by putting some runs on the board in the first innings and making an early statement."
The pitch has drawn the most attention this past week with the English glancing at its patchy nature very curiously. It is expected to be slow after the first two sessions, and the visitors are toying with the idea of playing two spinners, in Moeen Ali and Jack Leach.
The Windies will look to left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and the all-rounder Roston Chase. The umpires are expected to call the play at 10 am with the Barmy Army hopefully fit enough to see who wins it.
SQUADS: Windies: Jason Holder (Captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican.
England: Joe Root (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes (wk), Keaton Jennings, Jack Leach, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
WEST INDIES VERSUS ENGLAND OVER THE YEARS
Series/Tournament*Season*Winner*Margin
West Indies in England Test Series*1928*England*3-0 (3)
England in West Indies Test Series*1929/30*drawn*1-1 (4)
West Indies in England Test Series*1933*England*2-0 (3)
England in West Indies Test Series*1934/35*West Indies*2-1 (4)
West Indies in England Test Series*1939*England*1-0 (3)
England in West Indies Test Series*1947/48*West Indies*2-0 (4)
West Indies in England Test Series*1950*West Indies*3-1 (4)
England in West Indies Test Series*1953/54*drawn*2-2 (5)
West Indies in England Test Series*1957*England*3-0 (5)
England in West Indies Test Series*1959/60*England*1-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1963*West Indies*3-1 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1966*West Indies*3-1 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*1967/68*England*1-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1969*England*2-0 (3)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1973*West Indies*2-0 (3)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*1973/74*drawn*1-1 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1976*West Indies*3-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1980*West Indies*1-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*1980/81*West Indies*2-0 (4)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1984*West Indies*5-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*1985/86*West Indies*5-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1988*West Indies*4-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*1989/90*West Indies*2-1 (4)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1991*drawn*2-2 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*1993/94*West Indies*3-1 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*1995*drawn*2-2 (6)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*1997/98*West Indies*3-1 (6)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*2000*England*3-1 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*2003/04*England*3-0 (4)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*2004*England*4-0 (4)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*2007*England*3-0 (4)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*2008/09*West Indies*1-0 (5)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*2009*England*2-0 (2)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*2012*England*2-0 (3)
The Wisden Trophy (England in West Indies)*2015*drawn*1-1 (3)
The Wisden Trophy (West Indies in England)*2017*England*2-1 (3)