Taking the strain in Port-of-Spain

In his column in one of Trinidad's newspapers today, Brian Lara urged West Indian fans to get behind the team and give them some vocal support, "To show the English supporters that we can be more vocal and passionate than they are." For most of the morning, with a little bit of help from their friends, Chris Gayle and Devon Smith, they did just that.

The Queen's Park Oval, which holds around 7000 more people than any other ground in the Caribbean, is an enclosed and compact ground, much more so than Sabina Park. It has a grand total of nine stands, with the names of former greats, such as Jeffrey Stollmeyer and Learie Constantine, emblazoned across the fronts. And those greats would have liked what they saw early on.

The locals were camped out in force on the concrete slope between the outfield and the stands on the old cycling track. The place was by no means full, and there was a soothing, relaxed atmosphere. "It's quite calm at the moment, but it will get louder in the afternoon when people come in from work," said Sukesh, a runner for one of the TV companies. "The Trini Posse Stand is where it all happens," he added, helpfully. But, bizarrely, it was mostly full of England fans, and, as the bowlers struggled, not much was happening in there either.

Most of the noise was coming from the Learie Constantine and Cyril Duffrey sections. Each Gayle and Smith boundary was received in customarily raucous fashion, and also brought on some serious bumping and grinding from six scantily clad girls in front of the scoreboard. They were up doing their bit every time the ball was bashed to the boundary, shaking their booty like Beyonce, and waving a selection of West Indian and Trinidadian flags.

"Just admiring the view," grinned Ian from Luton, peering over from the second tier of the Duffrey Stand. He didn't seem to mind very much that England were getting a good pasting at the time. "I was here in 1994, I just love the atmosphere, it's so chilled and laid-back. Not much has changed, apart from there's no pool this time." Then he added, "I'm glad my missus doesn't read your website, I told her I was only nipping out for a bottle of water." He was clutching a can of beer in one hand, and a cigar in the other, all under the watchful eyes of the British High Commission across the road.

One missus who did know where her husband was, however, was Elaine, otherwise known as Mrs Gatting. While Gatt was sitting quietly in the stands with the members of his tour party, possibly wondering what was for lunch, his wife was taking a bit of time out at the back. "It would be nice to get a wicket," she said, "the ball's moving around a bit." She sounds like quite a fan? "I don't get much choice," she said with a laugh, before scurrying back.

Up to the third tier, where the majority of supporters were West Indian. "I just like to see good cricket," smiled Rishi. "I support West Indies, but don't mind if the opposition win as long as they play good cricket." What a lovely place this Queen's Park Oval is - and not a Barmy Army chant in sight ... yet.