“WHENEVER we come here you get the feeling that West Indies really want to beat England. It’s something that’s been ingrained in them, especially in the past when England have suffered heavy defeats. You can see it in the players’ eyes when you play against them.”

After 42 matches against the West Indies in his 17 years as an international, James Anderson knows those looks. The look Holding gave Close. The look Lara saved for English bowlers. The look burned on Samuels’ face in 2016, Ark of the Covenant style, when he set about trying to fight everyone in three-lion stash after winning the World Twenty20.

All teams love getting one over on England, but for historical and societal reasons that put sport in its place, it matters more to the West Indies. It underpinned the excellence of the great teams of the eighties and even in an era when their red ball teams have been distinctly average, it offers that extra oomph behind what blows they have been able to land.

A five-wicket win at Bridgetown in 2015 snatched a draw and two years later, a chase of 322 at Headingley squared a series in remarkable fashion. Both were celebrated as major turning points. Stuart Law, newly departed from his head coach role at West Indies, revealed that whatever preparation he might have been involved with ahead of this upcoming series would have leant heavily on Leeds 2017.

The immediate and long-term aftermath of both those victories tells a familiar story. Neither were turning points for the collective even if they might have furthered a few individuals. West Indies crumpled in a heap at Lord’s to hand England that 2017 series, one of 10 defeats suffered in 13 series since that draw in 2015. Their only two wins came against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Nevertheless, whatever the state of the West Indies side, the phenomenon of digging deep to do over England is real, verging on “mother summoning superhuman strength to lift up a car to save her child” levels.

And while home supporters will never tire of getting one over them, there is a discontent that they have to wait two years to get excited about the chance to bloody a nose. West Indies may be dons in the shortest form, but success in Test cricket still nourishes the souls of the Caribbean tragics.

The disparity between how things have gone across formats is understandable. In an interview in the Daily Telegraph, chief executive of Cricket West Indies Jonny Grave spoke about the financial issues hampering the first class system across the islands.

Training facilities and pitches need to be of a certain standard to play and hone multi-day cricket but, as England found out during their warm-up matches in Barbados, what is on offer is sub-par. Those given the opportunity to play Test cricket have to learn on the job and given West Indies have only had 27 Tests since the start of 2016 (England, by contrast, have played 41) there is not much time to study.

Granted, it is no great measure – England have dollops of Test cricket every year yet haven’t been number one in the format since 2012 – but franchise tournaments offer so much more concentrated and high-quality environments that it is no surprise naturally talented Caribbean cricketers continue to thrive in T20.

But with plans in place to enhance the domestic system and pathways, such as a regular ‘A’ team set-up – all money dependent, of course – sustainability may be on the way. In the immediate future, it will be down to some familiar names to halt England’s charge to the top of the rankings.

Shai Hope and Kraigg Brathwaite will look to reprise their roles from that Headingley epic. Hope, though, seems some way off his twin-hundred best with just one fifty from 17 innings in 2018 to give him a paltry year average of 20. Brathwaite, averaging a marginally better 24, did at least record two hundreds.

Such inconsistency prompted a recall for Darren Bravo who brings with him 49 Tests, 3,400 runs and plenty of scores to settle. Remember when he was the new Brian Lara? He certainly has the cover drive and attitude to authority BCL had, if nowhere near the repute. But at 29, Bravo still has time to further mimic Lara in the latter part of his career and add a bit of fight to an ailing middle order.

The bowling is more or less as it was. Kemar Roach relies more on wits than wheels nowadays, but the chain gleams just shines as bright as he bounds in. Shannon Gabriel, coming off his best year in Test cricket (37 wickets) is carrying the flame of West Indies quick bowling, aided by the unpredictable bounce that now characterises Caribbean pitches.

He has adopted a more attacking length and, in turn, took eight for 62 against Sri Lanka last July. Only Michael Holding and Curtly Ambrose have managed better at home than Gabriel’s figures of 13 for 121 in that match.

As for Jason Holder, his team may be up and down but his game is now as measured as his demeanour. West Indies’ second youngest captain was not expected to last this long, but among turbulent periods the 27-year-old took his 33 wickets at 12 last year and scored his runs at 37 when he was not dealing with board-level unrest and playing politics with the region’s 16 nations.

The last four years – indeed, the manner in which he ascended – has conditioned Holder to the fact there will always be white noise, unrest and conflict within West Indies cricket. What he has done, or perhaps what he has tried to do, is ensure his players think for themselves and act wisely on the field.

Even with little to cheer, a time after Holder as captain is not worth contemplating. They simply can’t do without him: few others would take the rigours of the role with such grace. But as with any other captain, success prolongs their stay and it is the next generation that will help carry Holder forward. And you know what… he might be in luck.

Having come to the fore in the Caribbean Premier League, Shimron Hetmyer and Oshane Thomas look like being the stars to bring some overdue inter-format love.
Hetmyer is a left-handed blitzer, the type who drops his back leg to the floor when he booms one over the sightscreen but has an appetite for immersing himself in the grind. A few months ago he fell seven short of a maiden Test century. That it would have been only his second first-class hundred tells you just how raw he is.

Thomas, meanwhile, is a lot rougher around the edges which is actually quite exciting considering he is a fast bowler who is big in all the right places: heart, shoulders and backside. Long spells are beyond him and may never really be his thing, but should he get the nod, expect a fair few in his half.

Only once have England won a series in the West Indies since the 1960s. Though they may be on the straight and narrow with wins over India and Sri Lanka, this is exactly the sort of series that could see them undone. Nevermind the beaches – for history and motivation, the Caribbean can be an unforgiving place for an Englishman. (Cricbuzz)