England kept its nerve and its World Cup campaign alive with an 18-run win over West Indies at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai on Thursday.

Andre Russell (four for 49 and 49), playing in only his second World Cup match, threatened to dump England out of the tournament but nerveless bowling from Swann (three for 36) and Tredwell (four for 48) ensured that Windies fell just short of England’s total of 243.

Both teams dominated certain passages of play and just when it looked like a side would press on, it lost ground to hand the advantage right back.

England, electing to bat, raced to 50 for one in 9.2 overs and 100 for two in 17.2, but soon found itself at 151 for six, before bumbling to 243.

Assault

Chris Gayle (43, 21b, 8×4, 1×6) and Darren Sammy (41, 29b, 2×4, 3×6) at one down, launched a mind-bending assault only for England to claw back through the unlikeliest of sources.

James Tredwell and Ravi Bopara picked up five wickets between the two of them to drag the Windies back to 118 for five.

When Kieron Pollard departed at 150 for six in the twenty eight over, leg before to Swann, West Indies’ manic hitting at the top of the order had effectively eliminated the run-rate element from the chase.

Question of survival?

From there it was a question of sheer survival for West Indies, but Russell, in at no. 8, refused to abandon the cavalier ways of his predecessors.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was happy to turn the strike over as Russell blazed his way to 49 off 46 balls with two fours and three sixes, and the match looked like it would end with overs to spare.

In the absence of strike options, Andrew Strauss could do little to prise out either batsman, and when a close call for a catch on the boundary ropes off Russell’s bat (replays were inconclusive and Jonathan Trott was adjudged to have made contact with the ropes while taking the catch) went against his side, it seemed curtains for England.

Final gamble

With 22 runs required, and Tredwell and Swann having already bowled nine overs apiece, Strauss went for his final gamble.

In his tenth over, Tredwell trapped Russell in front and had a close call for Suleiman Benn turned down (it was reviewed unsuccessfully) the next ball.

With the game in the balance again, Swann bowled out from the same end but not before picking up two more wickets, including that of Sarwan to shut the Windies out.

Good platform

Earlier, England’s innings unfolded in a similarly frenetic manner. Strauss (31, 39b, 3×4, 1×6) and Trott (47, 38b, 7×4) laid the platform for a healthy score that ultimately never materialised.

Davendra Bishoo, making his debut, ended with three wickets, while Russell and Kemar Roach also struck crucial blows as the wheels came off the English innings.

Luke Wright (44, 57b, 5×4) held the lower order together to take England to a par score, which proved just about enough.

Scoreboard

England: A. Strauss c Gayle b Russell 31 (39b, 3×4, 1×6), M. Prior b Russel 21 (21b, 3×4), J. Trott c Gayle b Bishoo 47 (38b, 7×4), I. Bell b Roach 27 (48b, 1×4), E. Morgan c Thomas b Bishoo 7 (13b), R. Bopara b Russel 4 (16b), L. Wright c Russel b Bishoo 44 (57b, 5×4), J. Tredwell (run out) 9 (20b), T. Bresnan (not out) 20 (27b, 2×4), G. Swann b Russell 8 (8b, 1×4), C. Tremlett c Thomas b Roach 3 (7b); Extras (b-1, lb-4, w-15, nb-2): 22; Total (in 48.4 overs): 243.

Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-79, 3-121, 4-134, 5-134, 6-151, 7-192, 8-216, 9-238.

West Indies bowling: Roach 9.4-2-34-2, Benn 10-0-56-0, Russel 8-0-49-4, Sammy 3-0-28-0, Bishoo 10-0-34-3, Pollard 8-0-37-0.

West Indies: D. Smith st. Prior b Tredwell 10 (27b), C. Gayle lbw b Tredwell 43 (21b, 8×4, 1×6), D. Sammy b Bopara 41 (29b, 2×4, 3×6), D. Bravo c Strauss b Tredwell 5 (15b, 1×4), D. Thomas b Bopara 9 (20b, 1×4), R. Sarwan c Bell b Swann 31 (68b, 3×4), K. Pollard lbw b Swann 24 (27b, 1×4, 2×6), A. Russell lbw b Tredwell 49 (46b, 2×4, 3×6), S. Benn (run out) 2 (12b), K. Roach c Tremlett b Swann 0 (2b), D. Bishoo (not out) 0 (1b); Extras (lb-8, w-3): 11; Total (in 44.4 overs): 225.

Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-67, 3-91, 4-113, 5-118, 6-150, 7-222, 8-223, 9-223.

England bowling: Bresnan 7-1-46-0, Swann 10-1-36-3, Tremlett 5-0-47-0, Tredwell 10-2-48-4, Bopara 8.4-2-22-2, Wright 4-0-18-0.

Man of the Match: James Tredwell.