The camp, which will be held in Jamaica, starts on Thursday and the squad will be reduced to 13 players by March 8. The first Test starts on Thursday, March 11.

The West Indies Cricket Board has confirmed Brian Lara as captain for both the England and Bangladesh home series.

Injury has kept out Vasbert Drakes and Wavell Hinds, poor form has shut out Daren Ganga and Mervyn Dillon, while Ravi Rampaul, the spearhead of the Young West Indies side that has reached the ICC Youth World Cup Bangladesh 2004, has not been considered.

The West Indies selection panel, under the chairmanship of Vivian Richards, the former West Indies captain and batting superstar, have brought back fast bowler Tino Best, as well as batsmen Devon Smith and Ryan Hinds, included Ricardo Powell, and sprung a surprise with unknown fast bowler Dwight Washington.

West Indies, whose record in Test cricket over the last 10 years has heightened the visitors' expectations, are bullies at home and Michael Vaughan's side, looking to become the first English team to win a Test series in the Caribbean in 36 years, will have their hands full.

Best played his only Test against Australia on a belter at Kensington Oval in his native Barbados last year and did not do justice to his bowling, taking no wickets in an expensive bowl.

Under the guidance of Wayne Daniel, the former West Indies fast bowler, he returned this year to bowl with pace and accuracy and was the leading bowler in the West Indies first-class championship after the preliminary stages with 35 wickets at 12.60 apiece.

Smith and Hinds, both left-handers, have scored consistently in the first-class championship this season.

Opening batsman Smith, whose batting style has been compared to Roy Fredericks, the late, great West Indies opener, has been the leading batsman in the Championship.

He has struck four hundreds and three half-centuries in a tally 842 runs at 76.54 in seven matches.

Fortunate to have regained his place, Hinds has the fifth highest aggregate of the season. Five times he has passed 50 for the season, in gathering 481 runs at 43.72. His highest score for the season has been 83, but he is a useful all-round cricketer able to bowl steady left-arm spin and field sharply.