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The West Indies' dream of winning the World Cup of cricket ended in Edinburgh yesterday when New Zealand, after removing Scotland for 121, dashed to victory in 17.5 overs to squeeze past the Windies and into the second round on a better net run rate.

The truth, however, is that the West Indies lost their way on the previous day in Manchester when they skidded to defeat against Australia.

Going into a match where victory would have guaranteed them a place in the Super Six stage of the tournament, and with New Zealand to play Scotland, would almost certainly have sunk Australia, the West Indies, despite the bad luck of batting first in conditions favouring the bowlers, batted like novices, crashed for their fourth lowest total (110) in 372 one-day matches, and simply did not deserve to go into the second round.

The West Indies did not deserve to escape, not because they lost to the more fancied Pakistan and Australia, not because their bowlers cannot bat, but because they did not bat well enough - especially on Sunday when there was so much at stake.

But for Ridley Jacobs, who became the first batsman to carry his bat through a World Cup innings and the fourth West Indian, including Stuart Williams, to do so in a one-day innings, James Adams, who was trapped leg before wicket first ball by a good delivery from Glen McGrath, and Brian Lara, who was destroyed by a lovely delivery from the pacer, the batsmen looked like schoolboys. The Windies lost their first three wickets for 13 runs while moving from seven without loss to 20 for three, and then five for seven while tumbling from 64 for three to 71 for eight.

Sherwin Campbell simply could not find the ball, and after 13 deliveries, finally got a touch and edged to slip at seven for one; Shivnarine Chanderpaul, after 38 deliveries, opened up to hit a wide delivery to cover and knocked the ball onto his stumps at 64 for four; Williams, after five deliveries, pulled a short, harmless delivery to mid-on at 67 for five; and Phil Simmons, after seven deliveries, went forward, then back, and in trying to steer past slip, knocked the ball onto the top of his offstump at 69 for six.

At that stage, with Curtley Ambrose, Mervyn Dillon, Reon King and Courtney Walsh to come, the West Indies appeared unlikely to reach their lowest one-day total of 87 - versus Australia at Sydney in 1992-93, or their lowest World Cup total - 93 versus Kenya at Pune 1996.

Thanks to Jacobs, who scored 49 not out off 142 deliveries, and the four pacers, all of whom faced more deliveries than Williams with only Ambrose, by one delivery, facing less than Simmons, the West Indies escaped falling for a record low score.

It was a sad day for West Indies batsmanship, a day which emphasised the weakness of West Indies batting - especially as one of the two other batsmen in the pavilion was Keith Arthurton, especially as Dave Joseph's technique is such that he would not have made any difference even if was there, and especially when one remembers the failures of others like Philo Wallace, Clayton Lambert, Darren Ganga, Roland Holder, Keith Semple, Adrian Griffith, Floyd Reifer, Suruj Ragoonath, and Lincoln Roberts.

With Williams retaining his place, it was also a day which left one wondering what is wrong with the captain and selectors.

Ricardo Powell, because of the swinging ball and his lack of experience, may not have feared any better. Williams' performance has been such, however, that the young, fearless batsman, who is also a brilliant fielder, would have been a better bet.

With a little luck, the West Indies could have made it, and as they make their way home, they may be cursing their bad luck. But for one upset they would have made it.

With three teams moving from the first to the second round, it appeared at the start of the tournament that even if they lost to Pakistan and Australia - which they did, all they needed to do was defeat New Zealand, Bangladesh and Scotland - which they did.

The West Indies lost out because while New Zealand rose to the occasion and upset Australia, while New Zealand went out and did what they had to do against Scotland, they did nothing more than most people, including their own fans, expected.

The West Indies lost to the two teams most people expected them to lose to, they defeated the three teams they were expected to defeat, and with Lara failing to show his class, they batted true to form.