England will play a Test match for the first time ever in St Lucia and Joe Root’s side are aiming to restore some pride after losing the series to the West Indies.
Following heavy defeats in Barbados and Antigua, England players head to St Lucia knowing that there’s only one four-day Test against Ireland before facing Australia in the Ashes this summer.
One player who could stake a claim for an Ashes spot is Joe Denly. The 32-year-old made his Test debut in Antigua and is expected to feature at the top of the batting order again in St Lucia.
Hoping to make an impression as an opening batsman, Denly told The Guardian: “For me personally it has to be about this next game. [But] playing in an Ashes series is an absolute dream and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it a little bit.
“It is important to try to not think about it as much as possible and have a real focus on trying to get a score in this next Test and prove to those guys who think I am a stopgap, makeshift opener that I have got a future as an opener in Test cricket. Hopefully I can.”
When the final Test match finishes next week the West Indies and England will then focus on the five-match one-day international (ODI) series.
Windies have named a 14-man squad for the first two ODIs and have included iconic batsman Chris Gayle. The 39-year-old last played for his nation in July.
The first two ODIs take place at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Jason Holder (captain), Fabian Allen, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas
Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican, Oshane Thomas (cover for Joseph)
Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Jack Leach (Somerset), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire); Mark Wood (Durham)
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Liam Plunkett (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), David Willey (Yorkshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham)
The West Indies vs. England cricket series will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket. Sky’s punditry team will include David Lloyd, Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton. Radio commentary will be broadcast on talkSPORT.