Broad leans back and hits that high over the covers ... there's nobody back and that's the winning runs. Broad grins and embraces Anderson as the crowd erupts. A grim-looking Lara shakes hands with friends and foes and has a long handshake and exchange with Koertzen. The crowd stand as he heads off ahead of all the other players. He wipes a tear from his eye and shakes hands with the England side who have lined up on the boundary edge ... and then he disappears into the pavilion.
West Indies vs England, 48th Match, Super Eights at Bridgetown, Apr 21 2007 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
48th Match, Super Eights, Bridgetown, April 21, 2007, ICC World Cup
New
ENG
Full commentary
And as Brian Lara walks round the boundary on a one-man lap of honour - he's vaulted the hoardings and is touching hands with as many people as he can - we sign off for the night. A great match to end the Super Eights - and at times this stage seemed as infinite as outer space - and now it's the semi-finals on Tuesday and Wednesday. Join us then. From me, Martin Williamson, and Will Luke, good night.
Presentations Michael Atherton is the MC and Wes Hall is with him. Vaughan - "A great game, nice to get a victory and nice to have a fantastic crowd in ... but we have to be realistic and say we haven't played well throughout the tournament."
Kevin Pietersen is named Man of the Match for his ton. "I'm just pleased for Fletch and Dean Conway we got them a victory. It's been emotional and yet fantastic for everyone." And praise for Paul Nixon as well for his part in the whole winter.
And finally Brian Lara steps up to loud applause. "Things didn't work out as planned but it was a very good cricket game. I thought it was a good effort by all 22 players. I've had a tremendous time playing for West Indies ... my dream was to see West Indies cricket stay on top and not doing that has been the most disappointing thing.
"Did I entertain?" Lara asks the crowd, and the cheers answer that ... and for the final time, Lara steps down from the podium.
England win by one wicket Well, West Indies might not have given Lara the send-off he wanted, but what a game to bow out on, and at least Duncan Fletcher will be a happy man tonight. Amazing and at long last we have had a real and rare humdinger ...
49.5
2
Dwayne Bravo to Broad, 2 runs
A long chat between the batsmen. They finish and then, and only then, Lara changes his field.
49.4
•
Dwayne Bravo to Broad, no run
slower ball, pushed into the off side and Gayle in lithely to field
Three balls, two runs. One to tie.
49.3
1lb
Dwayne Bravo to Anderson, 1 leg bye
fired in at Anderson's legs, it hits him on the pads and as Bravo screams his appeal the batsmen run a leg-bye. That was several inches outside leg
No pressure on Jimmy Anderson then!
Nixon has been magnificent. On a day of farewells, perhaps that's the old boy's last hurrah in international cricket. But what a glorious one for someone who wasn't everyone's first choice to tour this winter.
49.2
W
Dwayne Bravo to Nixon, OUT
anyone with a weak heart, turn off now. Slower ball fools Nixon who was on the walk as Bravo let go, he misses and it clips the top of his off stump
Paul Nixon b Bravo 38 (39b 4x4 0x6 83m) SR: 97.43
49.1
1
Dwayne Bravo to Broad, 1 run
full, dug out by Broad and punched to long-off. No thoughts of a second at this stage, especially as it puts Nixon on strike
Four runs needed and six balls to get them. Lara, in possibly his final act as captain, summons Bravo, who has done so much to keep West Indies in this match. The England dressing-room are out of nails to bite.
end of over 498 runs
ENG: 297/8CRR: 6.06 • RRR: 4.00
Paul Nixon38 (38b 4x4)
Stuart Broad2 (2b)
Jerome Taylor 10-1-65-2
Corey Collymore 10-0-61-1
48.6
•
Taylor to Nixon, no run
down the leg side, a distinct noise and Ramdin and Taylor let rip with a beseeching appeal but Rudi Koertzen shakes his head. Thigh pad?
Every run greeted like a goal at a cup final.
48.5
1
Taylor to Broad, 1 run
full toss, Broad calmly punches it down the ground to long-on
Broad just has to keep his end up in the gathering gloom.
48.4
1
Taylor to Nixon, 1 run
Nixon drives to long-on
Taylor looks on in disbelief. Had he missed it was out. As it is, it's six from nine balls.
48.3
4
Taylor to Nixon, FOUR runs
on leg stump, almost a yorker, Nixon flicks it off his feet and the ball shoots past the man behind square on the leg
48.2
1
Taylor to Broad, 1 run
short, Broad swats it over midwicket and, to loud cheers, runs the single
Nixon gives Broad, almost half his age and twice his height, a pep talk.
48.1
1
Taylor to Nixon, 1 run
squeezed down to third man, the man in the deep races in to prevent a second
Malcolm Speed is grinning like Wallace (or is it Grommit?). Jerome Taylor looks far more serious.
end of over 4817 runs
ENG: 289/8CRR: 6.02 • RRR: 6.00
Paul Nixon32 (34b 3x4)
Stuart Broad0 (0b)
Corey Collymore 10-0-61-1
Jerome Taylor 9-1-57-2
Nixon keeps the strike and it's a simple equation that even Will Luke can work out. A run a ball.
47.6
1
Collymore to Nixon, 1 run
pulled to deep square leg
47.5
4b
Collymore to Nixon, 4 byes
short, Nixon swished and missed, Ramdin leapt but could only get his fingertips to it
47.4
4
Collymore to Nixon, FOUR runs
a great shot, he came down the pitch and hit that, with mainly bottom hand, into the same area as the previous two fours but that was really clobbered and it sailed first bounce over the rope
Lara spending an age resetting his field. Boos from the crowd as they reckon he is wasting time. Quite probably he is.
The old man is battling ... 21 runs off 15 balls.
47.3
4
Collymore to Nixon, FOUR runs
Nixon again heaves that over midwicket - he did well to fetch that from off stump - and Bravo cannot get round in time from long-on
47.2
•
Collymore to Nixon, no run
Nixon swings, misses, and the ball shaves the off stump
47.1
4
Collymore to Nixon, FOUR runs
slower ball ... but a full toss ... Nixon on it quickly and he cracks that over midwicket and there's a big gap out there
end of over 479 runs • 2 wickets
ENG: 272/8CRR: 5.78 • RRR: 9.66
Paul Nixon19 (28b)
Stuart Broad0 (0b)
Jerome Taylor 9-1-57-2
Corey Collymore 9-0-48-1
Three overs and 29 runs needed.
46.6
1
Taylor to Nixon, 1 run
Nixon waits and steers the ball to third man to keep the strike
Stuart Broad ...six matches, nine runs ...
The crowd go wild, including the sizable England contingent ...
46.5
W
Taylor to Plunkett, OUT
slower ball - 71mph - Plunkett underclubs and Bravo, five yards in from the long-on boundary, waits and takes a good catch above his head
Liam Plunkett c Bravo b Taylor 2 (3b 0x4 0x6 4m) SR: 66.66
46.4
2
Taylor to Plunkett, 2 runs
crashed through extra cover, deep cover has a lot of ground to make up and the batsmen come back for an easy second