DERBY, England (CMC):

Several players will try to cement their places when West Indies face the England Lions in a four-day tour match, starting today.

The next four days should have been a final dress rehearsal for the visitors ahead of the opening Test against England, starting next Wednesday at Lord's, but a few factors have contributed to them still searching to fill places in the side.

First, West Indies captain Chris Gayle and key strike bowler Fidel Edwards are expected in England from duty in the Indian Premier League on Sunday so they will have only two days of practice before the first Test at Lord's.

Second, Jerome Taylor, Edwards' new-ball partner, whose splendid spell in Jamaica decided the series in the Caribbean, arrived only this week after overcoming a couple of injuries and coach John Dyson would want to test his fitness.

Important final race

This has made this final race for places very important, since it could help Dyson settle in his mind the final combination for the Test at the spiritual home of the game.

A partner for Gayle at the top of the order is still an unanswered question, since neither left-hander Devon Smith nor Dale Richards have seized the opportunity in the two previous tour matches.

Lionel Baker remains the leading candidate to fill a third fast bowling role, but all-rounders Darren Sammy and Dave Bernard Jr, as well as Andrew Richardson and Nelon Pascal can muscle their way into contention with memorable bowling.

Sulieman Benn, the only specialist spinner in the squad, will also want to prove himself and regain the place he lost for the final Test of the series in the Caribbean.

If they needed confirmation that the Lions were a stepping stone to senior England recognition, the West Indies' opponents received it when Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan received their first Test call-up, while Ravi Bopara was confirmed as the No.3 batsman at Lord's next week.

All three have featured for the Lions in recent years, with Bopara being taken off their tour of New Zealand this winter to join up with the senior party in the Caribbean, where he scored a century in his only Test at Barbados.

Squads:

WEST INDIES: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Lionel Baker, Sulieman Benn, Dave Bernard Jr, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Brendan Nash, Nelon Pascal, Dale Richards, Andrew Richardson, Darren Sammy, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

ENGLAND LIONS: Robert Key (captain), Tim Ambrose, Ian Bell, Sajid Mahmood, Stephen Moore, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright.