Twenty-two runs separated West Indies from victory and England from a World Cup exit. Andre Russell had almost completed an outstanding all-round performance. Ramnaresh Sarwan remained alongside him. Four wickets offered protection.
Then England took all four for three runs.
Their 18-run victory on March 17, 2011, earns its place in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs because the final margin conceals the danger. England survived a chase they repeatedly lost control of, finding decisive contributions from players outside their established leadership group.
TL;DR
- England defended 243, dismissing West Indies for 225.
- James Tredwell earned Player of the Match with 4/48.
- Andre Russell took 4/49 and scored 49.
- West Indies collapsed from 222/6 to 225 all out.
- England stayed alive in Group B, with qualification still dependent on other results.
England vs West Indies 2011 Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | 36th match, Group B, ICC Cricket World Cup |
| Date | March 17, 2011 |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Toss | England chose to bat |
| England | 243 all out, 48.4 overs |
| West Indies | 225 all out, 44.4 overs |
| Result | England won by 18 runs |
| Player of the Match | James Tredwell, 4/48 |
| Leading scorers | Andre Russell 49; Jonathan Trott 47 |
| Turning point | Tredwell dismissed Russell at 222/6 |
| Tournament impact | England finished their group games with seven points |
Jonathan Trott and Luke Wright Keep England Competitive
England’s batting again produced promising starts without a defining innings. Trott’s 47 from 38 balls supplied momentum, but his dismissal at 121/3 preceded a slide to 151/6.
Wright’s 44 became essential. His 41-run partnership with Tredwell slowed the collapse, while Tim Bresnan’s unbeaten 20 helped stretch the total to 243.
England left eight deliveries unused. On a demanding surface, however, their lower order had supplied enough runs to make another recovery possible.
Devendra Bishoo Makes an Immediate World Cup Impact
Debutant Bishoo returned 3/34 from ten overs, removing Trott, Eoin Morgan and Wright. His control complemented Russell’s four wickets and Kemar Roach’s economical support.
West Indies’ attack deserved a successful chase. Yet 22 extras, including 15 wides, softened the damage their wicket-taking inflicted.
James Tredwell Turns England’s Survival Fight
Chris Gayle’s 43 from 21 balls threatened to overwhelm England immediately. Tredwell trapped him lbw, stumped Devon Smith through Matt Prior, and dismissed Darren Bravo.
His fourth wicket proved decisive: Russell lbw for 49.
Kent’s contemporary account of Tredwell’s World Cup debut confirms his Player of the Match performance. His wickets interrupted both West Indies’ explosive start and their most convincing recovery.
England had recently survived another Chennai thriller against South Africa. As the ICC’s reaction to that victory recorded, captain Andrew Strauss already wanted fewer close finishes.
Andre Russell Brings West Indies Within Reach
Darren Sammy’s promotion produced 41 from 29 balls, but Ravi Bopara bowled him and Devon Thomas. Graeme Swann removed Kieron Pollard, leaving West Indies 150/6.
Russell and Sarwan then added 72. Their contrasting approaches worked: Russell attacked while Sarwan preserved his wicket.
At 222/6, the required rate offered little threat. Losing Russell exposed the tail before Sarwan could finish the job.
Graeme Swann Delivers the Final Breakthroughs
Swann dismissed Sarwan and Roach within three deliveries in the 44th over. Jonathan Trott and Prior then combined to run out Sulieman Benn.
England’s specialist opening seamers took no wickets. Tredwell, Swann and Bopara claimed nine between them, showing why adapting the attack mattered more than defending through reputation.
The finish reversed England’s experience against Bichel and Bevan in 2003, when an apparently beaten opponent escaped.
Continue A Celebration of 5000 ODIs
A Celebration of 5000 ODIsA Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 25: England Defend 171 as South Africa Lose Their Grip
A Celebration of 5000 ODIsA Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 23: England’s Last Pair Deny Brian Lara a Winning Farewell
A Celebration of 5000 ODIsA Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 22: Fernando’s Final Ball Breaks England’s Remarkable RecoveryComplete Match Scorecard
England Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Strauss (c) | c Gayle b Russell | 31 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 79.49 |
| Matt Prior (wk) | b Russell | 21 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Jonathan Trott | c Gayle b Bishoo | 47 | 38 | 7 | 0 | 123.68 |
| Ian Bell | b Roach | 27 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 56.25 |
| Eoin Morgan | c Thomas b Bishoo | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 53.85 |
| Ravi Bopara | b Russell | 4 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Luke Wright | c Russell b Bishoo | 44 | 57 | 5 | 0 | 77.19 |
| James Tredwell | Run out (Pollard/Thomas) | 9 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 45.00 |
| Tim Bresnan | Not out | 20 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 74.07 |
| Graeme Swann | b Russell | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Chris Tremlett | c Thomas b Roach | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.86 |
| Extras | b 1, lb 4, w 15, nb 2 | 22 | ||||
| Total | All out, 48.4 overs | 243 |
Fall of wickets: 48/1, 79/2, 121/3, 134/4, 134/5, 151/6, 192/7, 216/8, 238/9, 243/10.
West Indies Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kemar Roach | 9.4 | 2 | 34 | 2 | 3.52 |
| Sulieman Benn | 10 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 5.60 |
| Andre Russell | 8 | 0 | 49 | 4 | 6.13 |
| Darren Sammy | 3 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 9.33 |
| Devendra Bishoo | 10 | 0 | 34 | 3 | 3.40 |
| Kieron Pollard | 8 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 4.63 |
West Indies Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle | lbw b Tredwell | 43 | 21 | 8 | 1 | 204.76 |
| Devon Smith | st Prior b Tredwell | 10 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 37.04 |
| Darren Sammy (c) | b Bopara | 41 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 141.38 |
| Darren Bravo | c Strauss b Tredwell | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Devon Thomas (wk) | b Bopara | 9 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 45.00 |
| Ramnaresh Sarwan | c Bell b Swann | 31 | 68 | 3 | 0 | 45.59 |
| Kieron Pollard | lbw b Swann | 24 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 88.89 |
| Andre Russell | lbw b Tredwell | 49 | 46 | 2 | 3 | 106.52 |
| Sulieman Benn | Run out (Trott/Prior) | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 16.67 |
| Kemar Roach | c Tremlett b Swann | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Devendra Bishoo | Not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | lb 8, w 3 | 11 | ||||
| Total | All out, 44.4 overs | 225 |
Fall of wickets: 58/1, 67/2, 91/3, 113/4, 118/5, 150/6, 222/7, 223/8, 223/9, 225/10.
England Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Bresnan | 7 | 1 | 46 | 0 | 6.57 |
| Graeme Swann | 10 | 1 | 36 | 3 | 3.60 |
| Chris Tremlett | 5 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 9.40 |
| James Tredwell | 10 | 2 | 48 | 4 | 4.80 |
| Ravi Bopara | 8.4 | 2 | 22 | 2 | 2.54 |
| Luke Wright | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 4.50 |
Why Match 26 Belongs in the Collection
England and West Indies had already delivered Brian Lara’s dramatic farewell in 2007. Chennai added a different lesson to our 5000 ODIs collection: a manageable equation offers no protection once wickets disappear.
Both teams eventually reached the quarterfinals. England’s escape preserved their opportunity, while West Indies faced India next with their finishing under scrutiny.
For readers following our cricket coverage, this remains a striking example of a scorecard hiding the story. Eighteen runs sounds comfortable. England’s survival was anything but.
England
- Liam Dawson, Tom Banton Muscle England to Series-Clinching Victory Over Sri Lanka
- A Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 26: England Escape Elimination as West Indies Lose Four Wickets for Three Runs
- A Celebration of 5000 ODIs Match 25: England Defend 171 as South Africa Lose Their Grip
- Future Looks Bright: Pakistan U19 Seal England Series 3-1 as Jahangir Bilal Stars in 200-Run Rout
- Harry Brook, Sonny Baker Power England to 119-Run Rout of Sri Lanka
