Gayle's double ton takes WI to 394-5

A magnificent 204 by opener Chris Gayle helped the West Indies overtake New Zealand on the third day of the second Test on Sunday.

Resuming on 63 for one, the West Indies moved to 394-5 at the close of play, a lead of 21 as they chase the victory that would allow them to square the series.

The 22-year-old left-hander had been unusually cautious on the way to his second Test century, but he went on the attack with some powerful strokes to the delight of the 9,000 flag-waving fans at the Queen's Park stadium.

The New Zealand attack gradually ran out of ideas in the strength-sapping heat, while Gayle hammered the ball to all corners of the ground, striking 29 fours and two sixes.

He was eventually caught behind from a rising Shane Bond delivery, although the batsman seemed unhappy with the decision.

Gayle came into the Grenada Test with a point to prove. His only previous Test century was the 175 he scored in Zimbabwe last year, and he was twice dismissed playing rash attacking shots in last week's first Test in Barbados.

Perhaps mindful of these complaints, Gayle reined in the cavalier side of his game on Sunday and resisted the temptation to lash out at wide deliveries down his favourite off side.

"New Zealand think that I am not a patient batsman.

"But I played a patient role and it paid off for me. They kept bowling outside my off-stump to lure me into making an error but I was determined not to fall into their trap," Gayle told journalists after his innings.

There was only one point in the innings where the left-hander began to get ahead of himself, and he was nearly punished.

After crashing fast-medium bowler Ian Butler through the covers for two boundaries and then lofting Bond for a mighty six in the following over he mistimed an attempt at a second six and was dropped badly by Mark Richardson at mid-on.

BIG SCORES

Gayle's only other indiscretion came from an understandable attack of nerves on 199 when he was dropped by Matt Horne, also at mid-on.

"I got some advice from Gordon Greenidge and he told me that I should have got a score like this one a long time ago because as an opening batsman you cannot get to 60 or 70 and give your hand away.

"He emphasised I needed to carry on and get big scores and I am going to take his advice to heart," Gayle said, adding that there were "many more" double centuries to come.

Saturday's hero Scott Styris was one of the New Zealand bowlers most severely punished by Gayle.

Yet the all-rounder, who made 107 on his Test debut on Saturday, also had the satisfaction of claiming the wicket of Brian Lara earlier in the day.

The left-hander was caught behind when he was in full cry just two runs short of his half-century.

But the day belonged to the West Indies batsmen, and Gayle's partner for 142 runs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, moved smoothly to 51 at the end of play.

Gayle had earlier built an attractive 100-run partnership with Ramnaresh Sarwan, before the Guyanese right-hander was run out on 39 by some sharp fielding by Chris Harris.

Fast bowler Bond worked hard on a hot day and dismissed West Indies skipper Carl Hooper lbw for 17 with a fierce yorker. It was a similar Bond delivery that bowled Wavell Hinds on Saturday when the opener was on 10.

The tourists lead the series 1-0 after clinching a 204-run victory in the Barbados last Monday.

Mail Cricket Editor