Gayle walloped 10 sixes during his match-winning knock of 111
Image courtesy of: cplt20.com
Jamaica Tallawahs captain Chris Gayle single-handedly annihilated the St Lucia Zouks with his maiden Caribbean Premier League (CPL) century.
However, St Lucia opener Henry Davids deserves some credit as well as he scored a gutsy half-century during his side’s seven-wicket loss.
St Lucia captain Darren Sammy would have been pondering over his decision to bat first after opening batsman Johnson Charles was stumped by Carlton Baugh off the bowling of Nikita Miller for 27.
Davids and Andre Fletcher made up for the early loss of Charles with a 69-run partnership, during which Davids brought up his half-century, before he was clean bowled by South Africa pace bowler Rusty Theron for 56 off 38 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes.
Davids made a valiant 56
Image courtesy of: cplt20.com
Fletcher went on to score 27 runs before he was stumped by Baugh off the bowling of New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori.
Keddy Lesporis only made six runs before he was caught by Jermaine Blackwood at deep midwicket off the bowling of Andre Russell.
Russell struck again just four balls later when Pakistan pace bowler Sohail Tanvir was caught by Theron at long-off for just four runs.
St Lucia eventually finished on 161/5 off their 20 overs thanks to Sammy’s quickfire knock of 29, which came off 22 balls and included three boundaries.
Russell was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Miller, Theron and Vettori chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 162 to win, Jamaica got off to a poor start as opening batsman Chadwick Walton was caught by Lesporis at cover off the bowling of Tanvir for 23.
Gayle and Blackwood got Jamaica’s innings back on track with a 64-run partnership, during which Gayle brought up his half-century, before Blackwood was caught by Davids at long-on off the bowling of Shane Shillingford for eight runs.
Gayle and Australia batsman Adam Voges kept the runs flowing with a 55-run partnership, during which Gayle registered his maiden CPL century, before Voges was caught behind off the bowling of Mervin Mathew for 15.
Gayle ended up finishing on 111 off 63 balls, which included five boundaries and an incredible 10 sixes, as Jamaica reached their target with one over to spare.
Mathew, Tanvir and Shillingford claimed one wicket each.
Gayle was named Man of the Match for his entertaining century.