'Cauldron' awaits at start of pivotal week for England

Listen to Test Match Special commentary of West Indies v England on BBC Sounds from 01:15 BST on Thursday with live-text commentary and clips on the BBC Sport website and app

The thing about a blip is by the time you realise it is something more, it is often too late.

By then what you thought was a one-off has turned into a wider malaise.

After the disappointing exit at last year's 50-over World Cup, England have done the first part in re-establishing themselves by making it through to the T20 World Cup Super 8 stage, albeit with a few more scares than would be ideal.

For six years between 2016 and 2022 they not only set the menu but redefined the dishes with an attacking style that brought them victories in 2019 and 2022, plus semi-final appearances at the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2021 T20 World Cup.

It showed the way for the rest to follow. Over the next six days they must show they still belong at that top table, rather than just making up the numbers.

Among the eight still standing are India and Australia, who would never allow their seat to be taken.

South Africa are always there without being the ones to hold court, while Afghanistan look ready to barge their way in for good.

Even the United States have emerged as the plucky upstarts ready to mix things up.

Perhaps the biggest threat comes from England's next opponents, West Indies, who they meet under the lights in St Lucia on Wednesday (Thursday 01:30 BST).

The tournament's co-hosts have had their own struggles – a ninth-placed finish at the 2019 World Cup and failure to get out of the first group stage at the T20 edition in 2022, having been world champions in the shorter format in 2012 and 2016 – but have now emerged from the other side under captain Rovman Powell.

Above him is Daren Sammy, West Indies captain for those two World Cup wins and now back as head coach to lead his side against England at the stadium which bears his name on his home island.

At the same ground on Monday night Sammy's side demolished Afghanistan in a statement victory – their eighth in a row in T20 internationals - and were roared on by a passionate crowd that filled the grassy bank and the tin-roofed stand opposite.

West Indies beat previously unbeaten Afghanistan by 104 runs in St Lucia

They chanted as the Afghan bowlers ran in for each ball to be flogged by Nicholas Pooran and then as fast bowler Alzarri Joseph charged through a hostile spell, all while the local band played with the smell of jerk chicken in the air.

England played West Indies in the Caribbean over five matches at the end of 2023, losing 3-2.

In that series they had the backing of their Sweet Caroline-singing support, who had travelled for some winter sun.

This time they have already discussed how best to deal with an atmosphere they expect to be a "cauldron".

"We have not played in front of an opposition crowd for a long time now," bowler Reece Topley said on Tuesday.

"The West Indies will hopefully be trying to get their own back for our fans who were so incredible in November.

"They will try to rally them and create a cauldron of an atmosphere. It is going to be incredible."

The match will be played on the same pitch where West Indies piled up 218-5 against Afghanistan – the highest score so far in a World Cup that has often favoured bowlers.

Pooran looked at home in making a sublime 98 but it is a true, quick surface that should also suit England's six-hitters far more than the slow tracks of their previous games in Barbados and Antigua.

"It might be time to take a bit of medicine," added Topley.

"[The bowlers] might be in the business of problem solving now. Things are a bit more complicated but the mission is the same."

England have selection questions with Liam Livingstone struggling to make the XI.

He has still not bowled since his side injury, suffered against Namibia on Saturday, and, although the problem is said to have improved, Livingstone has now been struck down by illness.

Bowler Chris Jordan is another to have been hit by the same bug.

If fit enough, Jordan's death-bowling skills could see him pip Mark Wood in selection, given another high-scoring match is expected.

If England recall Will Jacks - dropped from the side because of the shortened nature of the rain-affected win over Namibia - they must decide whether they stumbled on something in his absence, with Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook both batting a place higher in the order.

A win would put England in a prime position to compete at the semi-final stage again, with matches against South Africa and the USA to follow within five days.

It is a period that will tell us just where England are at.