West Indies thrash Canada

Group B, Centurion Park: West Indies 206-3 (20.3 overs) beat Canada 202 all out (42.5) by seven wickets

Drakes took a spectacular catch More photos from the match

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The West Indies were given a scare before racing to victory over Canada by seven wickets in a thrilling match at Centurion Park.

A magnificent century from John Davison had helped Canada to their best-ever one-day total.

But Vasbert Drakes dismissed him for 111 with a spectacular one-handed catch at the boundary rope and then chipped in with five wickets to skittle the minnows for 202.

In reply, Wavell Hinds and Brian Lara treated the crowd to more brilliant hitting as they hauled in the Canadian total in double-quick time.

Davison thumped six sixes Profile: John Davison

Davison, a product of the Australian cricket academy, recorded the fastest century in World Cup history to get his team off to a dazzling start.

Fittingly, he reached his century with a towering six, his sixth in a spectacular display of hitting that stunned Carl Hooper's men.

Davison's dismissal finally came courtesy of a wonder catch from Drakes, who sparked the West Indian recovery by taking 5-44 to rebound from a very expensive opening spell.

Two of those wickets came in a dramatic 43rd over, which yielded the final four Canadian scalps.

First, Ricardo Powell produced an excellent throw to run out Asish Bagai.

Then Drakes took the wickets of Austin Codrington and Barry Seebaran with consecutive balls, before Nicholas de Groot became the last man out after a terrible mix-up.

We have got a long way to go if we are going to compete at this level Canada captain Joe Harris More Canada reaction West Indies reaction

Taking advantage of a few extra overs before lunch, Hinds started the West Indies run chase at a furious pace, racing to 27 not out.

But his opening partner Chris Gayle got out cheaply, when he edged behind.

But that lapse did not hurt the cause unduly as Hinds and Lara launched a ferocious assault on the Canadian bowling to compile a 100 partnership in 44 balls.

Hinds reached his 50 in a World Cup-record 24 balls only to see Lara better that mark by one ball moments later.

And, although both men fell victim to their electrifying aggression before the end, they had done more than enough to ensure victory, which came with a glorious boundary from Ramnaresh Sarwan.

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Canada: Joe Harris (captain), Ashish Bagai, Ian Billcliff, Desmond Chumney, Austin Codrington, John Davison, Nicholas de Groot, Nicholas Ifill, Davis Joseph, Ishwar Maraj, Barry Seebaran. 12th man: Abdool Samad.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Ridley Jacobs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Ricardo Powell, Ramnaresh Sarwan. 12th man: Marlon Samuels.

Umpires: Asoka de Silva, Sri Lanka, Darrell Hair, Australia.