[Sam]

Final of 'outsiders'


England have never won a major international limited-overs title while West Indian World Cup glory days date back to 1975 and 1979.

Neither team will need much motivating for Saturday's ICC Champions Trophy final.


It is hard to separate two teams who began the 12-team competition as outside bets, with England ranked sixth in the world and their opponents seventh.


The hosts, indeed, have long been accused of ineptitude at the one-day game.


While their Test match stock has risen dramatically under coach Duncan Fletcher, their limited-overs outings have provoked derision rather than respect.


Often the team has been bloated with 'bits-and-pieces' all-rounders who have failed to convince with either bat or ball.


On Saturday, however, Michael Vaughan will lead out a side similar to his Test line-up which has won 10 matches out of 11 this year.


England's semifinal victory over World Cup holders Australia, who had beaten them in their last 14 matches, was both the performance and the shock of the tournament.


Vaughan, the personification of England's problems of adapting to one-dayers, came of age at Edgbaston with a career-best 86.


"Most people who are struggling would find it even more difficult against Australia," said Fletcher. "It just shows his character."

Strike bowler Steve Harmison, however, ranked the world's top bowler this year, and Andy Flintoff, the world's leading all-rounder, failed to fire. Both will be determined to put that right on Saturday.


Harmison's clash with Brian Lara may hold the key.


The West Indies captain was hit in the neck by a 91 mph (146.4 kph) lifter from Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar in the semis and Harmison will want to shake him up as well.


Asked about Lara's perceived vulnerability to short-pitched bowling, Fletcher would only say with a smile: "We'll discuss that at our team meeting."

West Indies coach Gus Logie responded: "I have no indication of what England's tactics will be. We have our own gameplan.


"Brian will want to play and I am not going to stand in his way. His injury is just bruising.


"England's form has certainly turned around. It's hard to see us as favourites. But we are quietly confident that we can deliver. Nobody gave us a ghost of a chance of reaching the final."

Both teams can lay claim to the psychological edge.


West Indies won two matches to one against England in a recent one-day triangular event. England, though, drew 2-2 in the Caribbean this year after thrashing their hosts in the Tests.


Fletcher, rarely drawn out of his dour demeanour, is upbeat.


"Their batting is very experienced, with players like Sarwan, Lara, Chanderpaul and Gayle. They have played a lot of one-day cricket, that's their strength.


"But the way we beat Australia must give the players tremendous belief. I don't think people have appreciated how well we have played. They have only talked about how the other side were rubbish or on the way down. We felt we weren't given the credit we deserved."

An England success would mean they would have beaten Sri Lanka, Australia and West Indies, who boast six World Cups between them.


"It would be tremendous for English cricket," said Fletcher.


PROBABLE TEAMS
ENGLAND: Marcus Trescothick, Vikram Solanki, Michael Vaughan (captain), Andrew Strauss, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Collingwood, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Alex Wharf, Darren Gough, Steve Harmison.


WEST INDIES: Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara (captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Dwayne Bravo, Courtney Browne, Ryan Hinds, Ian Bradshaw, Corey Collymore.