Harmison will play a pivotal role

London: It’s unlikely that Michael Vaughan will threaten to make the West Indies grovel during their four-Test series starting on Thursday.

It’s simply not his style.

England have dominated the West Indies, struggling in eighth in the ICC championship table, in their past two series. And Steve Harmison is in their changing room.

The giant Durham bowler’s contributions have been pivotal to the team’s resurgence. He has harvested 53 wickets at 16.69 runs apiece in his last eight Tests. West Indies’ young pace attack looks raw by comparison.

England, however, have some worries.

First there is the absence of batsman Mark Butcher, replaced by Robert Key on the eve of his 43rd Test in a row after suffering neck whiplash in a minor car crash. Then there are the fitness problems of allrounder Andrew Flintoff, who is set to play as a specialist batsman.

THE SQUADS

England: (from) Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Robert Key, Andrew Strauss, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, James Anderson.

West Indies: (from) Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Smith, Ridley Jacobs, Ravi Rampaul, Tino Best, Fidel Edwards, Jermaine Lawson, Pedro Collins, Omari Banks, Carlton Baugh, Dwayne Bravo, Sylvester Joseph.