Gayle walloped six sixes during his match-winning knock of 80
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
With overcast clouds and rain in the air, New Zealand were hoping the weather would save them from being defeated by the West Indies in the second Test in Trinidad. However, what they didn’t account for was a Gaylestorm.
West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle absolutely destroyed New Zealand’s bowling attack as he played a magnificent Twenty20 style innings to help his side cruise to a comfortable 10-wicket win.
Starting out the day on 257/8, wicketkeeper BJ Watling and spinner Mark Craig managed to convert their 45-run partnership into a 99-run partnership, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, before Craig was caught behind off the bowling of Kemar Roach.
Craig’s career-best knock of 67 came off 167 balls and included nine boundaries.
Craig made a gutsy 67
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Following Craig’s dismissal, the heavens parted and the players were ushered off the field.
After a short 20-minute delay, the players returned to the field.
After toiling for over after over, Shannon Gabriel ended New Zealand’s innings on 331 when Trent Boult was caught behind for eight runs.
Watling was left stranded on 66 off 216 deliveries, which included four boundaries.
Watling scored a valiant 66
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Jerome Taylor was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Sulieman Benn snapped up three, Gabriel took two and Roach claimed one as the West Indies were set a target of 93 to win.
Before the West Indies could get their chase underway, the rain returned and the umpires decided to take the lunch break.
After a short delay, the match resumed and West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle started to go berserk.
Gayle and Kraigg Brathwaite amassed an unbeaten 95-run partnership, during which Gayle brought up his half-century, to lead the West Indies to a convincing 10-wicket win.
Gayle finished on 80 off 46 balls, which included seven boundaries and six sixes, while Brathwaite remained undefeated on 14 off 34 deliveries, which included one boundary.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was disappointed to have lost the match, and said: “I thought we were pretty good for most of the Test match but that first innings, getting out for 220-odd was not good. West Indies deserved to win. We were 160 for 3 and we were in a very good position then, we could have gone on to record 400, but there were no partnerships. Credit to West Indies for coming back after we had them back for the first two sessions of the Test. We will cop that on the chin, we were second best, but we need to make sure we come back strongly in the next Test.”
West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin was ecstatic to have levelled the series at 1-1, and said: “It was a fantastic win. The conditions were tough for the bowlers. The pitch was placid, it was one in which you had to keep working well. Sulieman Benn put on a marathon spell. We were a bit lazy in the field. We hope we don’t take it lightly against the lower order next time. Hopefully we can get a good pitch in Barbados, where batsmen can score runs and fast bowlers can take wickets.”
Brathwaite was named Man of the Match for scoring his maiden Test century in the first innings, and said: “I was looking forward to it (to the hundred). I have been doing a lot of work, especially against spin. I put in a lot of hard work, stayed positive and it worked well. It was not easy (staying away from the team).”