Members of Nexus Performing Arts Company provide entertainment during a reception at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston yesterday to observe the arrival of the English and West Indies cricket teams to the island. The first Test match bowls off on Wednesday at Sabina Park. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Despite England's fifth place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings, with the West Indies two spots lower, West Indies coach John Dyson has cautioned that his side will be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming Digicel Home Test series.

"We are looking forward to a hard-fought series with England. There aren't any easy teams around the world and all the series are going to be hard. But I think, as always, if our guys play as well as they can, they will come out of the series looking pretty good," said the former Australian Test opener.

Much-anticipated series

Dyson was speaking in an interview with The Gleaner following the arrival of the West Indies and England cricket teams at the Norman Manley International Airport, yesterday.

The much-anticipated series is scheduled to bowl off at Sabina Park on Wednesday and Dyson is expecting the team to continue improving following the recent Test series against New Zealand.

"We are not long out of the New Zealand series and we are expecting the team unity to continue. Plus, I am expecting the players to lift even further. We are in the West Indies, we are on home territory, we know the conditions better and we are probably far happier with the weather here," he said.

Although the visitors have won the last four series against the West Indies, Dyson is optimistic that the script is likely to change in this encounter.

"The players had the opportunity to come home and play in the regional series and I think it is terrific that the regional series is happening at the same time as the home series.

"Those who needed a rest have had the opportunity to get a couple of weeks off. We still have two days to practise right now to just put the final preparations in place for the Test match," Dyson said.

Concerns

Notwithstanding, Dyson expressed some concerns about the batting.

"It would be good to see some of the other players make major contributions. We know they have got the ability. We see flashes of brilliance from them every now and then. The ones that have been around the team long enough are due to put some significant performances on the board," he said.

Dyson said he backed batsmen Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who performed well on the recent New Zealand tour, to also fire against the English, and said runs were also expected from Ramnaresh Sarwan and rookie Brendan Nash.

"They are terrific players and that is what you expect of your experienced batsmen. Brendan Nash has had a tremendous start to his Test career and I am looking for some big things from him as well. There are definitely some good things to look forward to," he said.

READY FOR BATTLE

According to England's media manager Andrew Walpola, the tourists, who are under new leadership with experienced batsman Andrew Strauss, are in good shape and ready to do battle with the West Indies.

"We have done a lot of hard work in the two practice games and I think we are in good shape. Andrew Strauss has taken over the captaincy and I think everybody has responded to him very well. We have come here in good shape and we are looking forward to a very competitive series," Walpola said.

"We know we can win the series, but it is not going to be easy. The West Indies have world-class players and it is going to be a competitive series," he added.

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, welcomes Andrew Strauss (right), captain of England, upon the team's arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport. Looking on is Paul Campbell, president of the Jamaica Cricket Association. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Ramnaresh Sarwan (second right) has the full attention of spin bowler Suleimann Benn (right), while his West Indies teammates Fidel Edwards (left) and Dale Richards look on following the team's arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday for the first Test against England in the Digicel Home series. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer