With high expectations of a successful series, English fans are coming to the Caribbean in droves for the 2009 Digicel Home Series scheduled to bowl off at Sabina Park on Wednesday with the first West Indies, England Test.

The English support is being led by the now famous Barmy Army, an organised group of cricket fans which follow the team to many cricket arenas around the world. The group acquired its name during the 1994-95 Test series in Australia and has represented the England fans on every tour since.

An estimated 109 such fans have been confirmed for the Sabina Park Test.

Also confirmed are an additional 400 English fans, who have purchased a significant number of tickets for the north stands at Sabina Park.

According to acting cricket operations officer at the Jamaica Cricket Association, Courtney Francis, ticket sales are expected to increase as Test fever heats up over the weekend and early next week.

"Once the intensity picks up ticket sales will increase. So far, all the tickets for the mound have been sold," Francis said.

Increased bookings

The Digicel home series that is expected to attract cricket fans and enthusiasts from across the Caribbean and the world has already seen one major hotel, The Jamaica Pegasus, indicating that it was fully booked for the Test series.

Gerald Campbell, sales manager at the Pegasus, stated: "Along with our usual clients we have booked reservations for the series from January 21 to February 9."

The Hilton hotel, another New Kingston hotel, is also reporting that reservations have been good so far and is anticipating that bookings will increase closer to the period.

"The English players normally stay with us but apart from that reservations have been good so far," said Angella Robertson.

The West Indies and English teams are due in Jamaica tomorrow.

The highlights of the tour will be the four Digicel Test matches - in Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago - the Digicel T20 International in Trinidad and Tobago and the five Digicel one-day internationals - two in Guyana, two in Barbados and one in St Lucia.

Itinerary

1st Test - February 4-8, Sabina Park

2nd Test - February 13-17,

Sir Vivian Richards Stadium

3rd Test - February 22-March 2,

Kensington Oval

4th Test - March 6-10, Queens Park Oval

1st T20 - March 15, Queens Park Oval

1st ODI -- March 20, Providence

2nd ODI - March 22, Providence

3rd ODI - March 27, Kensington Oval

4th ODI - March 29, Kensington Oval

5th ODI - April 3, Beausejour Stadium

The England team will depart for the United Kingdom on April 4.