NAPIER, New Zealand — Chris Gayle equalled Brian Lara's record of 19 centuries in limited-overs internationals for the West Indies when he scored 135 of his team's 293 for nine wickets in the fifth and deciding match against New Zealand on Tuesday.
The West Indies captain also passed 7,000 limited-overs runs, smashing his way to a century from 110 balls and to 135 from 129 balls with nine fours and five sixes.
Gayle shared a 72-run partnership for the second wicket with Ramnaresh Sarwan (22), then ensured the West Indies built a competitive total in a 26-over stand with Shivnarine Chanderpaul which added 170 for the third wicket.
Chanderpaul scored 94 from 91 balls with nine fours and a reverse sweep six, at first in stalwart support of his captain then in a leading role when Gayle was out with the total at 243.
While Gayle and Chanderpaul were together, a total well in excess of 300 seemed possible, but after Chanderpaul was out with the total at 279, four wickets fell for only 14 runs.
Gayle dominated both the innings and the New Zealand bowlers on the ground where he scored 197 in the second innings of the second test only a month ago.
The tall left-hander stood upright and almost motionless at the crease then unleashed shots of enormous power and quality, dispatching the ball to all parts of the ground. He took particular advantage of McLean Park's short legside boundary.
One of his sixes flew out of the ground over square leg, pitching into a construction site then into a residential street while another struck a spectator in the face, leaving him slightly injured.
Chanderpaul favoured the reverse sweep as a means of subverting New Zealand's careful field settings and his sweetly-timed six over point was among the most memorable of his shots.
Kyle Mills was the best of the New Zealand bowlers, taking 3-57, while Mark Gillespie overcame and expensive start to finish with 4-58, including two wickets in the final over
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