England desperate for win
NatWest Series, Headingley: England v West Indies
Guyana Chronicle
July 1, 2004

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BBC COVERAGE England v West Indies Starts 1430 BST, Thursday Listen live on BBC Radio 4 LW, Five Live Spots Extra and this website BBC Test Match Special

ENGLAND will be hungry for a win when they take on the West Indies in a day-nighter at Headingley on Thursday.

And they know nothing but a victory will be good enough as they aim to get their NatWest Series back on track.

England's first match was washed out but they have suffered humiliating defeats at the hands of West Indies and New Zealand since then.

England have no injury concerns but could tinker with the team while the West Indies are set to be unchanged.

England coach Duncan Fletcher does not want the selectors to make wholesale changes to the squad after a poor start to the series.

Fletcher is set for a discussion with the chairman of selectors David Graveney in the next couple of days.

He said: "I'd like to see the side stay the same. We've been through this with the Test side and it's because they've stayed together and know their roles they are now functioning well."

We are still in the early stages of the tournament and we're looking at this match as a must-win situation Brian Lara

Fletcher believes having quality all-rounders is the key to success in one-day games and players such as Rikki Clarke and Ian Blackwell should be given more time to bed in.

West Indies captain Brian Lara said they would not take England lightly.

There isn't one single major cricketing nation England has had the upper hand against since 2000 in ODIs From Square Cut Have your say on TMS

He also warned the West Indies against overconfidence after their bright start.

He said: "We are still in the early stages of the tournament and we're looking at this match as a must-win situation and move on from there.

"England's worry is not our worry. Our worry is to make sure we qualify for the final early so that we know we are there."

England (from): M.Vaughan (Yorkshire, capt.), M.Trescothick (Somerset), G.Jones (Kent, wkp), A.Strauss (Middlesex), P.Collingwood (Durham), A.McGrath (Yorkshire), R.Key (Kent), I.Blackwell (Somerset), A.Giles (Warwickshire), D.Gough (Essex), S.Harmison (Durham), J.Anderson (Lancashire), R.Clarke (Surrey), S.Mahmood (Lancashire).

West Indies (from): B.Lara (capt), C.Gayle, S.Chanderpaul, DR Smith, R.Sarwan, R.Powell, D.Bravo, R.Jacobs (wkt), R.Rampaul, I.Bradshaw, J.Lawson, T.Best.