Sabina Park was taking shape late yesterday afternoon for today's battle as England looks to avenge 36 years of fruitless trips to the Caribbean.

Michael Vaughan's side will look to end the drought and secure a historic series win in the Caribbean over Brian Lara's maroon-clad West Indians.

Workmen were busy getting the pitch and the outfield in the best possible shape and the television and print media corps were busying themselves for the first salvoes which will signal the start of the first Cable and Wireless 2004 Test match between the two age-old adversaries.

Both teams held their final work-outs yesterday, with the West Indies bringing forward their scheduled 9.30 am net session by two hours and working out as early as 7.30 am yesterday. Lara reported no problems with his team's fitness.

"At this time we're satisfied with the fitness level," he told reporters after the team wrapped up its preparation near noon yesterday.

And West Indies coach Gus Logie, responding to concerns that a number of players in the team had broken down recently said:" We came to the camp and we did a lot of work.... we made a concerted effort."

England opted to get their net session rolling at 10 am yesterday, one hour after their scheduled press conference at the Hilton Hotel here in Kingston, Jamaica.

The good news from the England press conference was that both Mark Butcher and Graham Thorpe were passed fit to do battle today.

Butcher, who injured his ankle in the team's final warm-up game against the Vice-Chancellor's XI, passed a fitness test yesterday while Thorpe's back is reportedly much better.

England's main worry will be which fast bowler to leave out. With Simon Jones and Steve Harmison appearing to be virtual certainties, the toss-up should be between Matthew Hoggard and James Anderson.

The West Indies named their final XI late last evening and despite Ricardo Powell being the almost overwhelming favourite to take the place of injured batsman Dwayne Smith, the selectors opted for Ryan Hinds instead, making Ramnaresh Sarwan, the only right-handed batsman in the top seven. Openers Devon Smith and Chris Gayle along with Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Hinds and wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs, are left-handed batters.

The 20-year-old Smith was ruled out on Tuesday after dislocating the first joint of the fourth finger of his right hand.

The fast bowlers are `Terrible ' Tino Best, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards and Adam Sanford, a quartet that Lara admitted was inexperienced.

"Yes, they're fairly inexperienced, but I think they are exciting fast bowlers. They're also learning. They're lively, and I know they'll do a good job," Lara said.

Though the fast bowlers on both sides will create much excitement, the main players will undoubtedly be the two skippers - Vaughan and Lara.

The England skipper stamped his intention from the opening three-day game against a Jamaican XI by slamming 105 in the first innings.

It is a sign that he plans, like Lara, to lead from the front. Lara has been the West Indies' most dominant batsman since his `second coming' at the helm.

In 12 tests he has scored 1595 runs at an average of 69.3 and England will be wary of him for it was against an England side that Lara broke Sir Garfield Sobers' world record individual score of 365 not out with his 375.

And though his record was in turn broken by Australian Matthew Hayden, Lara has said that Hayden's feat has given him the impetus to achieve greater things, to leave a greater impact on the game.

He also listed two reasons why this series is special to him. The first is that it may be last series against England in the Caribbean. The second is his desire to regain the Wisden Trophy, which England won in 2000.

Lara is also conscious of the need to maintain the Windies 36-year streak of not losing a series in the Caribbean against England.

"Definitely it's a situation we've to try to maintain," he said. This is a team which doesn't want to spoil that. They know what they have to do... the people in the Caribbean are looking forward to it. There's a definite advantage to playing at home. The pressure is there but we're in our comfort zone."

Head grounds man Charlie Joseph has promised a `pacy' pitch, which is expected to suit Lara's four-pronged pace attack.

"To be honest it will be a pacy wicket," Joseph said. Joseph added that the pitch which has grass rolled into it will be slow for the first couple of hours on the first day but then will get fast when the tinge of grass on the top gives way to the grass rolled into the pitch.

Despite that, he has promised a pitch that will have something in it for both batsmen and bowlers. And so, batsmen, bowlers, English and Caribbean fans now eagerly await the first ball.

Teams: West Indies Brian Lara (captain) Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ryan Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Corey Collymore, Adam Sanford, Tino Best and Fidel Edwards.