RESULT
36th Match, Group B (D/N), Chennai, March 17, 2011, ICC Cricket World Cup
(44.4/50 ov, T:244) 225

England won by 18 runs

Player Of The Match
4/48
james-tredwell
New
WI
Full commentary

Well, more amazing scenes involving England at this World Cup. But their fate is out of their hands. Now they wait to see what happens when Bangladesh play South Africa on Saturday in Mirpur. A win for the home side will leave England needing India to beat West Indies on Sunday. Got all that? Once he's had time to collect his thoughts, Andrew Miller will provide the bulletin of another mind-boggling day. For now though, that's just about all from us today. But don't forget about the day's other big news - Shoaib Akhtar's retirement. Tomorrow's matches are Ireland v Netherlands and New Zealand against Sri Lanka. Do join us for all the action. From Andrew McGlashan and Sahil Dutta is goodbye as we head off to find (another) stiff drink.

Man of the Match goes to James Tredwell. First match of the World Cup, what a performance. "To get the nod was great and it was unbelievable. Hopefully when you get a chance you take and I did that today."

Presentation time. Darren Sammy "One of the guys who made a start needed to take us through. We have a few positives to take, Bishoo bowled well, but at the end of the day we lost. I was happy chasing 244 after the start they had." Some suggestion Thomas came out so high up because Sarwan was in the washroom!

Andrew Strauss "It's been pretty hard work all the way through the group stages. We should have got 260-270 but we fought brilliantly with the ball." When asked if it's fun leading England at the moment he said: "Not really!"

"We've pulled out results when we've needed them. We are still waiting on other results, but hopefully we've done enough to go through. It shows the spirit in the side, great credit to James Tredwell and Luke Wright who have been waiting in the wings. We have to be more clinical, but for the time being tonight we'll enjoy this victory."

Moments after that finish, Graeme Swann compared the raw emotion of that victory to winning the Ashes. That's some claim, but it really was all or nothing for England. However, this was also a match littered with some pretty average cricket. West Indies have lost by 18 runs with 32 balls remaining. That's not clever. They now face a crucial match against India to reach the quarter-finals.

England won by 18 runs. However, in the immediate aftermath of all that we must say they haven't qualified yet. That, though, can wait a moment. England looked gone while Russell was there, but then came a collapse of 4 for 3 in 20 balls.

Stuart Broad sums it up quite well on Twitter: "WOOOWWW another great game! U can always back a lower order batter for a run out!! 3 games to win a WC!" First, though, England need a favour from South Africa to beat Bangladesh, but if that goes wrong there is one final chance when India meet West Indies in the final group game. So they'll be some nervous days in the team hotel to come.

44.4
1W
Bopara to Benn, 1 run, OUT

gone! England have done it. A run out to win the match. It was a wide ball, Benn got a bottom edge down which scoot down to fine leg...Trott was quickly in and picked it, then hurled it back to Prior with a brilliant throw. That allowed Prior to demolish the stumps and England are still alive at this World Cup. Breathless. Bonkers. But brilliant fun to watch.

Sulieman Benn run out (Trott/†Prior) 2 (12b 0x4 0x6 19m) SR: 16.66
44.3
Bopara to Benn, no run

driven firmly but straight to mid-off and too hard for a single

44.2
Bopara to Benn, no run

pushed firmly down the pitch, Bopara dives in his follow through and gets a hand on it

44.1
Bopara to Benn, no run

takes the pad out to midwicket

Bopara continues...big faith from Strauss

end of over 441 run • 2 wickets
WI: 224/9CRR: 5.09 RRR: 3.33
Devendra Bishoo0 (1b)
Sulieman Benn1 (8b)
Graeme Swann 10-1-36-3
Ravi Bopara 8-2-21-2

Another wonderful effort from Swann, has he done enough for England?

43.6
Swann to Bishoo, no run

round the wicket, leans forward and defends down just in front of Bopara at silly point

Swann's last ball...four men round the bat

One ball for Bishoo...he bowled superbly earlier today

43.5
1
Swann to Benn, 1 run

tossed up on the stumps, driven towards cover who is quite deep and allows a single

Mid-off drops back to the rope

43.4
Swann to Benn, no run

pushed into the off side

The debutant in at No. 11, Devendra Bishoo...what drama, what tension. But it's Benn on strike with three round the bat

Five matches and five thrillers. Make that six out of six now whatever happens here. England have had an epic World Cup and we aren't out of the group stage yet

43.3
W
Swann to Roach, OUT

gone! And another! He tries to go down the ground, but doesn't connect and lofts it towards mid-off where Tremlett makes good ground to his right and takes a smart, low catch

Kemar Roach c Tremlett b Swann 0 (2b 0x4 0x6 1m) SR: 0
43.2
Swann to Roach, no run

pushes into the off side

Slip and short leg in

It's down to the bowlers now...here's Kemar Roach

43.1
W
Swann to Sarwan, OUT

gone! Would you believe it. Swann has struck. Extra bounce, Sarwan went to turn it on the leg side and gets an inside onto the thigh pad which loops gently to Ian Bell at short leg. You couldn't write these scripts

Ramnaresh Sarwan c Bell b Swann 31 (68b 3x4 0x6 114m) SR: 45.58

Here's Swann...one over to go

end of over 431 run
WI: 223/7CRR: 5.18 RRR: 3.00
Sulieman Benn0 (6b)
Ramnaresh Sarwan31 (67b 3x4)
Ravi Bopara 8-2-21-2
James Tredwell 10-2-48-4
42.6
Bopara to Benn, no run

full at the stumps, driven down to mid-off

42.5
Bopara to Benn, no run

gee, finds the inside edge which cannons into the pads and away from the stumps

42.4
1
Bopara to Sarwan, 1 run

nicely whipped down to deep square-leg...two balls for Benn to survive

42.3
Bopara to Sarwan, no run

forced off the back foot into the covers

42.2
Bopara to Sarwan, no run

driven firmly back to the bowler

42.1
Bopara to Sarwan, no run

pushed into the off side

Here's a gamble as Bopara continues...Swann's one over being saved

end of over 42Wicket maiden
WI: 222/7CRR: 5.28 RRR: 2.75
Sulieman Benn0 (4b)
Ramnaresh Sarwan30 (63b 3x4)
James Tredwell 10-2-48-4
Ravi Bopara 7-2-20-2

A fine over for Tredwell to finish with...a superb comeback into the side after so much time on the bench

41.6
Tredwell to Benn, no run

nicely bowled on middle and off, defended to the off side

41.5
Tredwell to Benn, no run

half a stride and defended, but not with confidence

41.4
Tredwell to Benn, no run

lunges forward and defends again...bat this time

Phew, what a moment...that took an age but correct decision

41.3
Tredwell to Benn, no run

not given lbw, England review this time. Benn propping forward. What a moment. Inside edge is first question...it's mighty close. We are still waiting for the pitch map. Umpire wants to check the edge again. And after all that it's umpire's call on height. Just clipping the bails.

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ICC Cricket World Cup

Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
PAK651100.758
SL64192.582
AUS64191.123
NZ64281.135
ZIM62440.030
CAN6152-1.987
KENYA6060-3.042
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SA651102.026
IND64190.900
ENG63270.072
WI63361.066
BAN6336-1.361
IRE6244-0.696
NED6060-2.045