It's not often that England's cricketers fly out on tour fancying their chances of turning over the West Indies.

But Mike Atherton's men must feel this is the best chance they have had to end three decades of drought against the Caribbean kings.

The once all-conquering West Indies have hit rock bottom. No longer invincible, the team seems crippled by in-fighting.

Atherton, 29, is confident. But he also knows he could face a backlash in the five-test series. The backbone of the West Indies side may be getting old but they are still formidable players.

Flashback: Lara kisses the Antigua wicket after breaking the test batting record in 1994

It was only four years ago that Brian Lara took England apart on his way to a record-breaking test score of 375.

He has now replaced as captain Courtney Walsh, who at 35 remains a world-class opening bowler. And although at 34 Curtly Ambrose may find the joints stiffening up these days, he usually taps into a reserve tank of energetic hostility at the sight of an Englishman taking guard 22 yards away.

Curtly Ambrose: Don't be fooled by the smile

The atmosphere among the locals and the hundreds of English fans including cricket as part of their winter holiday packages may be laid-back. But on the field tensions will match the scorching temperatures.

Both captains know the knives are out. Failure will probably mean they are out of a job.

It is hard to see the West Indies' selectors tolerating defeat at the hands of England - for so long their whipping boys.

On the other side, after a series of tame overseas performances, Atherton knows another England calypso collapse and he will probably be out.

The man who has led his country more times than anyone else will not be cheered by the record books. Most of his squad were not born when Colin Cowdrey led the last victorious tour of the Caribbean in 1968.

The dour Lancastrian can be forgiven for looking over his shoulder. For English eyes are on the young pretender, Surrey skipper Adam Hollioake.

Golden boy Adam Hollioake

He was an impressive leader of the England one-day squad which won the Sharjah tournament in December.

And although Atherton got the nod to captain England in the limited over games in the Caribbean, the selectors are clearly grooming Hollioake for big things.

But if England's recent form has been at best patchy, the West Indies are in disarray.

In Pakistan before Christmas they suffered three humiliating test defeats.

Brian Lara: Reports of split with Courtney Walsh

It was the first time they had been whitewashed in a series for 69 years, a catastrophe for their cricket crazy fans back home.

Worse still, the tour was marred by reports of a split between Walsh and Lara. Morale could hardly be lower.

England's best chance of cashing in lies with experienced batsmen Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain - as well as Atherton.

Alex Stewart plays it straight

But the bowling looks lightweight. The late withdrawal of injury-prone paceman Darren Gough robs England of their main strike bowler.

His replacement, Yorkshire colleague Chris Silverwood, is a fine prospect but has only played one test while the absence of Devon Malcolm means no blistering pace with the new ball.

Teams

England:
Michael Atherton (captain), Alec Stewart, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain, Graham Thorpe, Mark Ramprakash, Jack Russell, Andy Caddick, Dean Healdey, Angus Fraser, Robert Croft, Phil Tufnell, Adam Hollioake, Ashley Cowan, John Crawley, Chris Silverwood.

West Indies:
Brian Lara (captain), Philo Wallace, Clayton Lambert, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Carl Hooper, Roland Holder, David Williams, Ian Bishop, Curtly Ambrose, Nixon McLean, Courtney Walsh, Dinanath Ramnarine, Jimmy Adams.

Umpires: Eddie Nicholls (Guyana), Cyril Mitchlet (South Africa)
 

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