West Indies v England 5th Test, Port of Span - Preview

Port of Spain: England will make a desperate bid to win the fifth and final Test against West Indies, starting on Friday at Queen's Park Oval, to level the series and keep the Wisden Trophy which symbolizes Test supremacy between the two sides.

West Indies lead in the five-Test series 1-0, following an innings and 23-run defeat in the opening Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica, where England were dismissed for their third-lowest total of 51 in the second innings.

The second Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua was aborted because of an unsuitable outfield, while the third Test and the fourth Test both ended in draws.

England skipper Andrew Strauss admitted that now his side's original objective to win the series has been scuttled, they would now have to settle on a share of the series which would allow them to keep the Trophy.

Strauss' big challenge in the previous two Tests is that England have been unable to bowl West Indies out twice on flat pitches, and he is hoping for a surface that would allow for a far more competitive Test.

"One of the dangers in Test cricket is to play one game like the last," he said. "It would be wrong for us to assume that it would be another flat pitch in Trinidad.

But Strauss would still need to assemble the kind of bowling arsenal that would be able to bowl England to victory, and playing five front-line bowlers is an option.

West Indies just need to draw the last Test to secure their first series win over England for 11 years, but their captain Chris Gayle believes that's a negative approach and will be seeking a victory to formalise the series result.

"Definitely, we are looking for the win," he said.

For the forth straight Test, West Indies have had the luxury of selecting an unchanged 13-member squad which suggests that things have started to settle down in their camp, but there are still two places in the final 11 open to question.

Highlights of the match