CHENNAI, India (CMC):

West Indies squandered an ideal opportunity to secure a quarter-final spot at the World Cup when they made a complete mess of a simple run chase to slide to an 18-run defeat to England yesterday.

Hunting 244 for a place in the last eight after their bowlers had sparked a ragged England batting effort, West Indies crashed from a comfortable position of 113 for two in the 20th over to 225 all out at the MA Chidambaram Stadium with 32 balls to spare.

Impressive all-rounder Andre Russell, who had earlier snared four for 49, returned to hit a top score of 49 in a 72-run, seventh-wicket partnership with Ramnaresh Sarwan (31) to haul the Windies around from a tenuous 150 for six in the 28th over.

Once he played back to uncomplicated off-spinner James Tredwell (4-48) and was lbw in the 42nd over, however, the innings folded swiftly as the final four wickets fell for an amazing three runs in the space of 20 balls.

While the defeat left West Indies fourth in Group B on six points with a match to play, it saved England from instant elimination from the tournament. They are now third on seven points, having played their full complement.

Winning the toss and batting, England got a fluent 47 from Jonathan Trott and 44 from Luke Wright, as they battled back from 151 for six in the 33rd over, to reach their eventual total and give themselves a fighting chance.

misery

Their misery was masterminded by pacer Russell and debutant leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who bowled outstandingly to claim three for 34 from his 10 overs.

When Chris Gayle (43) dominated a 58-run opening partnership off 41 balls with Devon Smith (10), England's woes seemed set to continue until West Indies performed one of their now familiar dramatic collapses.

The left-handed Gayle smashed eight fours and a six off just 21 balls in a characteristically aggressive knock before he missed one from Tredwell and was trapped lbw.

Smith followed soon afterward, stumped off Tredwell at 67 for two at the end of the ninth, but captain Darren Sammy strode to the wicket at an unfamiliar number three, to blast a cameo 41 from 29 balls with two fours and three sixes.

Wickets continued to fall, however, as Darren Bravo (5) edged Tredwell to Andrew Strauss at slip and Sammy finally perished, playing on to medium pacer Ravi Bopara to leave the Windies 113 for four in the 18th over.

Devon Thomas (9) perished five runs later but Ramnaresh Sarwan (31) and Kieron Pollard (24) threatened in a 32-run stand for the sixth wicket.

While Sarwan anchored down, Pollard was his typically breezy self, clouting a four and two sixes off 27 balls before he played back to off-spinner Graeme Swann (3-36) and was lbw.

Russell, in only his second ODI, then raised the Windies hopes with a cavalier innings. He emerged from a timid start where he scored just three from 10 balls to blast two fours and three sixes in a knock requiring 46 balls.