England held their nerve to win the must-win game against the West Indies to keep their hopes alive to enter the quarter finals of the World Cup quarter at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday.
Earlier, the crucial Group B encounter between England and the West Indies was on a knife's edge after the English bowlers struck in quick succession.
Earlier, Chris Gayle's dynamite bust in West Indies' chase of 244 as the swashbuckling opener hit England bowlers to all round the ground before getting out to James Tredwell.
But the departure of the marauding Gayle had a little effect on in-coming Darren Sammy, who promoted himself as a pinch-hitter and started to take the attack to the opposition from the word go.
It could also be considered a tactical move by the West Indies team management as Sammy at that point virtually negated the off breaks from both Graeme Swann and Tredwell, hitting them for maximums whenever the ball pitched in his zone.
The Windies' skipper fell when he tried to cut Ravi Bopara outside the off stump, ultimately being bowled off an inside edge.
Earlier, Luke Wright's 44 on World Cup debut stemmed a middle-order collapse and helped England post a defendable total of 243 in their must-win match.
Wright hit five fours coming in at No. 7 on Thursday to save a struggling England after Andrew Strauss had opted to bat first.
With England playing for its World Cup survival, Strauss (31) and Jonathan Trott (47) made a rapid start before a mid-innings slump to 151-6.
Andre Russell took 4-49 for West Indies and legspinner Devendra Bishoo 3-34 on his international debut as England's runrate came crashing down in the middle overs.
But Wright produced a late charge, sharing partnerships of 41 with fellow World Cup rookie James Tredwell (9) and 24 with Tim Bresnan, and England will be hopeful of victory after it successfully defended 171 on the same ground against South Africa.
