England beat West Indies in Lara's last match

22/04/2004

England played for its coach, West Indies for its captain. In the end the game won.

England gave coach Duncan Fletcher a victorious farewell as they beat West Indies by one wicket in the last Super Eight match at the Kensington Oval, Barbados on Saturday.

The match was also the last international game for West Indies skipper Brian Lara and while he would have liked to ride into the sunset with a win, it was not to be.

England overhauled the victory target of 301 for the loss of nine wickets with one ball to spare. Kevin Pietersen hit his second ton in this World Cup and was adjudged Man of the Match.

Earlier, put in to bat, West Indies had been bowled out for 300 in 49.5 overs.

After a host of one-sided games, the nerve-jangling affair finally showcased what the World Cup had been craving for.

Chris Gayle and Devon Smith got the hosts off to a blazing start putting on 131 runs. Gayle came in to his own for the first time in the tournament smashing 79 runs from 58 deliveries to lead the charge. He hit 10 fours and three sixes.

Devon Smith hit 61 and put on 37 runs with skipper Lara before he was brilliantly caught by Paul Collingwood off a Flintoff delivery.

Lara, playing his last international match, was left stranded by Marlon Samuels and was run out for just 18. Ramnaresh Sarwan followed him to the pavillion for three. He edged a Liam Plunkett delivery to keeper Paul Nixon.

Samuels went on to score an explosive half-century and put on 77 runs with Shivnaraine Chanderpaul. He made 51 from 39 balls with six fours and one six before he holed out to Collingwood off a Michael Vaughan delivery.

Chanderpaul was dimissed by Collingwood for 34. The hosts then lost the last four wickets for just 24 runs in a space of four overs.

Vaughan picked up the wickets of Dwayne Bravo (13) and Jerome Taylor (12), while Daren Powell (0) and Corey Collymore (1) were run out. Denesh Ramdin was not out on 10.

Early in the chase, England lost the wicket of Andrew Strauss. He was caught by Smith off a Collymore delivery for seven. Vaughan, who was long overdue for a good knock, struck a timely fifty. He put on 90 runs with Ravi Bopara from 13 overs.


Bopara was run out for 26. Pietersen joined Vaughan and the duo put on 59 runs before the England skipper was run out for 79. His 68-ball knock included six fours and two sixes.

Paul Collingwood followed him to the pavillion, bowled by Dwayne Bravo for six. The Windies then sent back Flintoff (15) and Dalrymple (1) to turn on the heat.

A see-saw battle ensued with Pietersen and Nixon smashing 80 runs from 10 overs to get England to the brink of victory. Pietersen reached his second hundred in this World Cup with a six off Taylor. The bowler then exacted his revenge as he bowled him with the very next delivery. Pietersen hit 100 off 91 balls with 10 fours and one six.


Taylor then accuonted for Plunkett. He holed out to Bravo in the deep for just two. Nixon continued to resist the Windies. He took 17 runs off Collymore's last over to get England within striking distance of the target. But with just three runs required off five deliveries, Bravo bowled him for 38 to give the Windies a glimmer of hope.

Broad held his nerves and took two runs with just one ball to spare.

It may not have been the perfect send off for Lara, but for a man who played in the truest spirit of the game, it was almost a perfect game to bow out on.

Score : West Indies 300/10 in 49.5 overs (Gayle 79, Smith 61, Samuels 51, ) England 301/9 in 50 overs (Pietersen 100, Vaughan 79, Nixon 38, Bravo 2/47, taylor 2/65)