THE West Indies return to Edgbaston today for the second Test, behind for the first time in a series in England since 1991 but with fond memories of the ground.
They have enjoyed commanding victories in their last three Tests there, completed in 1995 and 2000 before the end of the third day, in 1988 on the fourth.
It is where captain Brian Lara amassed his unbeaten 501 in his first season for Warwickshire in 1994 that still stands as first-class cricket's highest individual score. Even Corey Collymore, the swing bowler who has arrived as a replacement for the injured teenager Ravi Rampaul after a month playing America's version of Twenty20 cricket in New York and replaced Tino Best in the starting eleven, has Edgbaston connections. He spent the last half of last season on Warwickshire's staff.
It is the kind of historical trivia teams as desperate for success as the present West Indies turn to for a little inspiration.
There might even have been some motivation for the present players to savour at the gala function in Birmingham on Tuesday night attended by a galaxy of greats of the past at which Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Viv Richards, George Headley and Lara were named as Wisden's top five all-time West Indies Test cricketers.
They all stir the emotions and recall days when the West Indies were great.
Given the present reality, it is clutching at straws even though captain Lara declared himself "very optimistic" about improving on the performance at Lord's when his team at least carried the contest to within 10 minutes of tea on the final day.
In the four years since the last Test between the teams at the venue, England have continued the progress that began later in the series that they proceeded to win 3-1 to regain the Wisden Trophy after 31 years.
The West Indies have, at best, stood still.
England's victory in the first Test at Lord's by 210 runs was their fourth in succession for the season.
It followed their 3-0 clean sweep over New Zealand in the preceding series and their fourth in five Tests over the West Indies for the year, adding to the three in the Caribbean.
No one typifies their advance more vividly than Andy Flintoff, the sole survivor of the eleven crushed by an innings four years ago.
He has been transformed from an overweight, biff-and-bash cricketer into one of the best all-rounders in world cricket.
Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ridley Jacobs, three stalwarts, are back for the West Indies.
Chris Gayle, out for a duck in his only Test of the series, is the only one of the young brigade of that year returning. Others like Wavell Hinds, Reon King and Franklyn Rose, none yet 30, have drifted from the scene.
England have gone forward by dint of strong leadership, careful planning and hard work.
It is the glaring absence of such attributes that explains why, in the intervening four years, the West Indies' only victories on foreign fields have been over Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
Lara was candid enough yesterday to acknowledge that his future at the helm might depend on his team's performances in the remaining three Tests. But he made it plain he was keen to continue.
"I'm in a very uneasy position as captain," he said. "If you don't get things done your position will be looked at."
He spoke of players so young and inexperienced some had played more Tests than first-class matches. It meant they had to learn on the job.
"You have guys playing international who you've got to take aside and ask what have you learned," he noted. "You wouldn't ask Mike Tyson if he's learned something after he has gone 12 rouns. But it's something I've put my name down for and I'm going to continue doing it."
He indicated he needed help but he hasn't been able to get it.
He noted that, at one time or another, there had been specialist coaches for fielding (Julian Fountain, an Englishman who used baseball techniques), fielding (Gordon Greenidge) and bowling (Kenny Benjamin).
Describing fielding as "the most enjoyable part of cricket," Lara said he personally had learned a lot from Fountain and was "disappointed (that) after a while he was with us no longer."
"I think there is a great need for a specialist in that department," he said of the fielding, the standard of which has dipped to a new low on this tour.
He noted that coach Gus Logie was in charge of coaching and had been asked by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) on "many occasions," what his needs are.
Logie did not seeek any assistance from the WICB for this tour.
"They have got to act on what they see as best for West Indies cricket," he said.
The weather was hot, cloudy and humid when the West Indies had their final practice session yesterday and is expected to remain so throughout the first two days with sunshine over the weekend.
The pitch seemed similar to Lord's that produced its abundance of runs except for a tinge of green. Knowledgeable local followers expect the fast bowlers to find more pace and bounce that at Lord's.
At Lord''s, the match was all but put out of the West Indies reach when England rteached 393 for two after Lara sent them in. This time it could be a toss he would not mind losing.