Andrew Strauss is adamant England can extend their long run of success against West Indies despite heading to the Caribbean after two weeks of upheaval.

England have not lost a Test to the former kings of international cricket for nearly nine years, winning 13 of 16 matches spread across four series. And they are favourites to triumph again under new captain Strauss - even after Kevin Pietersen's resignation and the sacking of head coach Peter Moores.

"We want to win both the Test and one-day series and start building some momentum before an important summer," said Strauss ahead of tomorrow's flight to St Kitts.

"The West Indies now are a very dangerous side - the likes of Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle and Fidel Edwards are dangerous cricketers. But we've got a hell of a lot of talent in our dressing room.

"We've been playing some decent cricket over the last year but we haven't nailed it home when we've needed to. If we can just start being a little bit more ruthless in the way we play we are a match for most sides. And certainly if we do that I'll back us to beat the West Indies."

Gayle's 'Stanford Superstars' did inflict a humiliating 10-wicket defeat on Pietersen's team in the $20million match in Antigua less than three months ago.

Although the official West Indies side differs significant from the Stanford XI, there have been other signs of a cricket revival in the Caribbean.

They drew a two-match Test series in New Zealand in December, while England were being beaten by India, and finished 1-1 with Sri Lanka earlier in 2008 to suggest their worst days may be behind them.