Lara hits winning runs as hosts go top of group

World Cup hosts West Indies qualified for the Super Eights stage of the competition after a six-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Group D last night.

Sean Williams struck an unbeaten 70 as Zimbabwe recovered from 59 for four to make a total of 202 for five, but Brian Lara's side had little real trouble, reaching the target with 13 balls to spare.

Opener Chris Gayle hit an explosive 40 - including three consecutive sixes in one over - and then the Trinidadian pair of skipper Lara (44) and Dwayne Bravo (37) saw West Indies through to victory although both were dropped along the way.

Lara completed the victory with a big six over mid-wicket.

West Indies, who won their opening game against Pakistan, have four points with their final group opponents Ireland on three points.

Zimbabwe have a single point, following a tie with the Irish, and Pakistan have none after two defeats and are eliminated.

In the day's other match, a Virender Sehwag century steered India to a record World Cup total as debutants Bermuda were crushed by the biggest one-day victory margin of 257 runs.

India piled up 413 for five before Bermuda were skittled for 156 in the Group B encounter, allowing the 1983 champions to surpass Australia's record winning margin of 256, achieved against Namibia in 2003.

The result will keep alive India's qualification hopes after their shock opening game defeat by Bangladesh on Saturday.

However, they still need to defeat a formidable Sri Lankan side convincingly in their third and final group game on Friday to be in contention if three teams tie on points.

Sehwag emerged from a prolonged slump in form to blaze an 87-ball 114 for his eighth one-day hundred. He set the tone in a 202-run second-wicket stand with Saurav Ganguly (89) after Bermuda put India into bat.

Yuvraj Singh (83 off 46 balls) and Sachin Tendulkar (57 not out off 29 balls) then tore into Bermuda's lightweight bowling to pile up 122 from just 63 balls for the fifth wicket.

India's win would have been even more emphatic had it not been for Glamorgan's David Hemp, whose defiant 76 not out put India's victory celebrations on hold until the 44th over.

Paceman Ajit Agarkar and leg spinner Anil Kumble took three wickets each.

India grabbed a golden chance to show off after Bermuda asked their shaken rivals to take first strike at the Queen's Park Oval.

Sehwag, coming in at number three despite calls to drop him from the team, cut loose to stroke his first hundred since April 2005.

The 28-year-old had scored just one 50 in his last 14 innings.

Bermuda's 17-year-old paceman Malachi Jones struck with his first delivery to remove opener Robin Uthappa (3) in the second over when policeman Dwayne Leverock flung his 19-stone frame at slip to produce a stunning, one-handed catch.

Sehwag quickly turned things around as he struck 17 fours and three sixes until he mistimed a heave off Kevin Hurdle and holed out to Jones at deep mid-off in the 30th over.

Yuvraj and Tendulkar added 136 runs in the last 10 overs with the latter hoisting seamer Hemp over square leg for six in the final over as India became the first team to cross the 400-mark barrier in the 32-year history of the tournament.