Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

West Indies captain Brian Lara (right) is embraced by teammate Chris Gayle as he walks on to the field for his last international innings in the Super Eights match against England in Bridgetown yesterday. - Reuters

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados:

THE SUPER Eights round of the 2007 Cricket World Cup tournament ended in style at Kensington Oval yesterday with England, needing 88 runs from the last 10 overs, defeating the West Indies with one wicket and one delivery to spare.

After failing to finish in the top four and to stay in the hunt for the US$2.2 million first prize, England, still to win the Cup and starting the match in fifth-place and out of contention, defeated the West Indies to pocket US$200,000 - the prize money reserved for the best of the bottom four teams.

Batting second after winning the toss and sending the West Indies to bat on a day when a near full house turned up to bid Brian Lara farewell, on a day when about 22,000 gave the batting maestro a standing ovation on the way to and on the way from crease, England, after theirbowlers were battered around as the West Indies powered their way to 300 off 49.5 overs, replied with a stroke-filled 301 for nine off 49.5 overs with captain Michael Vaughan stroking an attractive 79, Kevin Pietersen blasting a level 100 and Paul Nixon striking 38 off 39 deliveries towards the end.

At 213 for six with 10 overs remaining, it seemed all over for England - and especially so after Pietersen was bowled by Jerome Taylor after hitting 10 fours and one six in an innings that lasted for only 91 deliveries.

Something up his sleeve

Nixon, however, had something up his sleeve, and with 29 runs needed off three overs, he smashed pacer Corey Collymore for four boundaries in one over to send England on their way.

In chalking up their highest total of the tournament in by far their best batting performance of the tournament, the West Indies, led by Christopher Gayle with his best performance of the tournament, Devon Smith with his best performance of the tournament, Marlon Samuels with his second best performance of the tournament, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul with a little gem, enjoyed themselves, and entertained the grateful gathering.

The big left-hander Gayle, striking the ball as he did not do once before during the past six weeks, smashed 10 fours and three sixes while scoring 79 off 58 deliveries. The little left-hander Smith, timing the ball almost perfectly, stroked six wonderful boundaries while ticking off 61 off 104 deliveries. Samuels, stroking the ball elegantly and with awesome power, blasted six fours and one six while scoring 51 off 39 deliveries, and the left-handed Chanderpaul stroked five lovely boundaries while scoring 34 off 39 deliveries on a batsman-friendly pitch.

England batted

In winning the match, it was hardly any different when England batted.

With nothing, no trophy and no big prizemoney, at stake, England's batsmen also enjoyed themselves, they also preened themselves in the pressure-free conditions, and unlike on Tuesday when they were booed off the field after apathetic display against South Africa, this time they were cheered - unashamedly so and especially so by the Barmy Army.

The day, however, will be remembered not so much for England's victory, and not so much for the parade of strokes and shots by Gayle and Smith, Samuels and Chanderpaul, Vaughan, Pietersen and Nixon.

Last sight of Lara

The day will forever be remembered as the day when the fans got their last sight of Lara - and for two magnificent strokes with which he said farewell before he was unfortunately run out after scoring 18 off 17 deliveries and after looking ready to tick off yet another century.

Joining the action at 131 for one in the 24th over, Lara, playing in his last match for the West Indies and on three, after coming out through a guard of honour formed by England, eased his right foot forward to Andrew Flintoff bowling around the wicket and stroked the pacer to the backward point boundary. Then, a few deliveries later, he went inside to James Anderson and delicately stroked the pacer to the fine-leg boundary.