CHENNAI: England captain Andrew Strauss has won the toss and elected to bat in their crucial match against the West Indies in the World Cup Group B here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.Weary England could see their exhausting five-month global road trip end today in a do-or-die World Cup showdown against the Windies.Victory will keep England's hopes of making the quarter-finals alive but defeat will send their opponents, as well as India and Bangladesh, into the last eight.England have endured a rollercoaster campaign.They defeated the Netherlands and South Africa, lost to Bangladesh and Ireland and tied with India.They know that even a win on Thursday may not be enough if other results on Saturday and Sunday work conspire against them.Their problems have been compounded by illness suffered by Strauss, key spinner Graeme Swann and fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad.The form of Ashes spearhead Jimmy Anderson, whose four wickets have cost 282 runs at an average of more than 70 apiece, is another distraction.Strauss said he hoped the make-or-break nature of Thursday's contest would see England raise their game.West Indies captain Darren Sammy hopes to make the most of coach Ottis Gibson's inside knowledge of England.Gibson spent more than two years as England's bowling coach before taking charge of the West Indies in January 2010.West Indies have been bolstered for this match by the return of dynamic opening batsman Chris Gayle, who missed their 44-run win against Ireland last time out with an abdominal strain.Unlike Group B, where only South Africa have so far assured qualification, all four qualifying spots in Group have been wrapped up by Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
