By Jonathan Gaskin

DANIEL TOWN, Jamaica (AFP):  For marquee sides India and West Indies, the Cricket World Cup 2007 begins when they face each other in their final warm-up match on Friday at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.

Both sides cruised through their first warm-up matches, although West Indies would have been stung by Kenya's resilience in a 21-run defeat, and India by Ryan ten Doeschate's five-wicket haul for the Netherlands in a 182-run demise.

The two sides may be getting tired of seeing each other.

They have contested 12 limited-overs internationals in the last 12 months, and West Indies have won seven of them which Indian skipper Rahul Dravid hopes to turnaround.

"I think India and the West Indies, we've played each other a lot over the past year and, like I said earlier, it's a warm-up game," Dravid said.

"We've played some good, close games against them. I think in five close games, they had the better of us in the West Indies, we've had the better of them in India, so I think we're evenly matched up.

"We believe we have the players to do well against them."

West Indies lost three of four limited-overs internationals against Rahul Dravid's side on brief visit to India in January, but this had followed a year in which West Indies had gained the upper hand on the Indians.

West Indies had won a home series against the Indians 4-1, shared two matches in a three-nation competition in Malaysia, and edged to victory in a thrilling contest during the ICC Champions Trophy on the sub-continent.

"Both teams would like to win to get the show on the road,' Dravid said.

'I also think it's an opportunity for some of our players who haven't much of a hit to get a chance to bat and give them a chance to get into the swing of things for the group stages of the tournament.

"I'm sure the West Indies will be looking to do that as well. West Indies are a very good team, and we'll have to play very well to win."

Indeed, West Indies captain Brian Lara is keen to get all of his players into action, but he believes victory is essential.

"India is a team that if everything goes well we're going to meet in the second round, so if we can produce a win on Friday, I think it give will the guys back the psychological advantage after our disappointing tour of India," he said.

'Neither side wants to lose on Friday, so we're going to play with the intensity to win, but at the end of the day we want to come out with 15 players still fully fit and looking forward to the tournament."

"The game on Friday is important, and even though it's a practice game, we still need to get everyone out there. "Everyone's trying to get some form, the likes of Kieron Pollard, who is now playing against international opposition for the first time, it's important for him to get these games under his belt."

India have been drawn in Group-B of CWC 2007, where they will face Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bermuda at Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

West Indies have been drawn with Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland in Group-D to be contested at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.

The top two teams from the each of the four groups in the competition qualify for the Super Eight quarterfinals, where they will play matches against sides that were not in their group.

The World Cup officially opens on Sunday with a colourful opening ceremony at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.