Gayle And Pollard Blast West Indies To Victory

Gayle And Pollard Blast West Indies To Victory

Chris Gayle led his side to a series win over Zimbabwe.

©Action Images / Scott Heavey Livepic

West Indies 165-6 (Gayle 63, Pollard 36) beat
Zimbabwe 161 (Coventry 56, Sammy 3-33) by four wickets
Fifth One-Day International, Saint Vincent
Scorecard

Belligerent innings from Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard helped the West Indies secure a four-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the fifth and final One-Day International, in the process sealing a 4-1 series victory.

Gayle thumped 63 in 41 balls and Pollard 36 in 20 as the West Indies closed their innings in just 27.5 overs having been asked to score 162 to win.

Zimbabwe, inserted by Gayle, struggled badly against the new ball, slipping to 25 for five as Ravi Rampaul (2-24) and Darren Sammy (3-33) tore through the batting line-up.

Charles Coventry, handed his first start of the series, and first for over five months, hit 56 to steer Zimbabwe past 100 and they managed to see out their 50 overs, number 11 Ray Price run out from the final ball of the innings which left the tourists all out for 161.

Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn and Pollard also picked up a wicket apiece.

Gayle thumped eight fours and two sixes to get the run chase off to an explosive start and he fell with the score on 96 having dominated a stand worth 76 for the second wicket with Darren Bravo (14).

Adrian Barath (14), Narsingh Deonarine (3) and Dwayne Bravo (0) were also dismissed before Pollard came to the crease, warming up for his forthcoming Indian Premier League stint with three fours and three sixes before he was dismissed with the match over as a contest.

Denesh Ramdin was unbeaten on 21 and David Bernard on four when the game was concluded; Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya returned two for 41 from seven overs.

© Cricket World 2010

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