Dean Barker could have ridden himself into Great Britain's World Cup squad.

The Eastbourne Eagles star turned in a sparkling display in last night's pre-tournament warm-up match against a Rest of the World team at Arlington Stadium.

Barker's paid 14-point return was one of the main reasons the match went to a last-heat decider before the multi-national world side triumphed 47-43.

Barker won his opening ride, chased home world-class performers Leigh Adams and Mikael Max Karlsson and was involved in one of only two maximum heat wins for the Great Britain outfit.

Throw in another second place and third in the finale, when he turned the tables on Max Karlsson, and Barker has to be a name to conjure with when the British team for next month's World Cup event is announced.

For Barker, that would be a remarkable turnaround in his international career after he was controversially overlooked for this summer's British Grand Prix and quit the world championship scene in protest.

It would also be testimony to the courage of the rider often labelled "Bionic Man" because of the assortment of metal work which has been inserted into his shattered limbs during a career ravaged by serious injuries.

Now in his testimonial year, he has produced some of his best ever form this season, and last night was a case in point.

Barker apart, however, the sensation of the meeting was another Eagles rider, Joonas Kylmakorpi, which is good news for the Sussex squad as they bid to resurrect their Elite League title hopes.

The bad news for Great Brit-ain is the flying Finn is not one of theirs.

Kylmakorpi's ten points in-cluded two amazing wins, first when he went from last to first on the pits turn, and then when he came off the boards to ride round the outside of both Barker and David Norris.

That effort in the penultimate race all but won the match for the Rest of the World, and Kylmakorpi knew it as he repeatedly punched the air in delight after crossing the line.

It all might have been different if Norris had not stopped when well clear in his first ride, or Scott Nicholls not slid off later on the first bend.

But the fact is the match underlined what a huge task Great Britain face to even qualify for the later stages of the tournament in Denmark without Mark Loram and Chris Louis and with a serious doubt over Lee Richardson's fitness.

They were ten points down after seven races but clawed their way back into contention with a couple of 5-1 heats via tactical substitute rides by Barker and Nicholls.

First Barker teamed up with David Howe with both men going past Ryan Fisher, then Nicholls came from last to first to partner Joe Screen to victory.

That was Screen's swan song and by far his best ride of the night, while neither he nor Norris did what Barker achieved and managed to impose themselves on the match.

Nicholls, the only world-class British rider on view, won three races but even he could not get the better of the immaculate Leigh Adams.

The Australian followed up his victory in Saturday's Slovenian Grand Prix by notching a 15-point maximum.

Great Britain: Scott Nicholls 13, Dean Barker 12, David Howe 7, Joe Screen 4, David Norris 4, Chris Harris 2, Danny Bird 1. Bonus points: Screen 3, Barker 2, Norris 1.

Rest of the World: Leigh Adams 15, Joonas Kylmakorpi 10, Mikael Max Karlsson 9, Ryan Fisher 5, Billy Janniro 4, Sebastian Tresarrieu 2, Adam Skornicki 2. Bonus points: Janniro 2, Fisher 1.