THE Caribbean might be well known for its rum - but England will be hoping it's the runs that are flowing when the first Test against the West Indies gets under way in Jamaica this afternoon.

After years of bowler-friendly wickets prepared especially for the West Indian pacemen, this looks like being the series when the balance finally swings back in favour of the batsmen.

And, with his batting line-up now falling into place, that is why skipper Michael Vaughan is confident of ending England's three-year wait for success in a major series.

Vaughan's side have only beaten a weakened Sri Lanka, a weary Zimbabwe and a wretched Bangladesh since their thrilling series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the winter of 2000-01.

But, despite not having won a series in the Caribbean since 1968, the Yorkshire batsman is confident his side can forget all about the history books during the forthcoming four Tests.

''The history is there, so you have to look at it," said Vaughan. "But none of our players was born 36 years ago, and there's only three players who have been on any (Test) tours out here.

''It can be good to have the experience. But it's also a good thing that we've got players who have no hang-ups about playing in the Caribbean and are coming out here totally fresh. They have fresh minds - they are a young team and I hope a little bit of young exuberance will pay off. But our experience in the middle of the order is also going to be crucial for us.

''We're going to take it as a huge motivation - 36 years not winning out here is a long time, and we've got two months to try to create our own history. We're not going to do that unless we work hard and play good cricket."

Today's Test will mark England's first return to the Sabina Park venue since the infamous abandonment of the first Test in 1998 because of a dangerous pitch.

Only five of the 22 players who started that game will be present later today, with both bowling attacks being totally different.

England are pinning their hopes on Durham paceman Stephen Harmison and Glamorgan quickie Simon Jones, while the West Indies will field the relatively untried trio of Adam Sanford, Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore.

Both attacks could be in for a long toil if the competing middle-orders get on to the front foot from the off.

Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe make up the engine room of England's batting line-up, while the mecurial Brian Lara and the enigmatic Chris Gayle will prove hard to dislodge for the hosts.

"You'd have to suggest that the key wicket is Brian Lara with his record and that he's the world number one batsman," said Vaughan.

Injury worry Butcher has been declared fit, so Durham all-rounder Paul Collingwood misses out.

Teams: England (from): Vaughan (Yorkshire, capt), Trescothick (Somerset), Butcher (Surrey), Hussain (Essex), Thorpe (Surrey), Flintoff (Lancashire), Read (Nottinghamshire, wkt), Giles (Warwickshire), Jones (Glamorgan), Hoggard (Yorkshire), Harmison (Durham), Anderson (Lancashire).

West Indies (from): Lara (capt), Gayle, Smith, Chanderpaul, R Hinds, Sarwan, Jacobs (wkt), Powell, Sanford, Best, Collymore, Edwards.