Gayle bypasses Lara as West Indies triumph

Jamaicans Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels both made centuries on home soil as West Indies beat New Zealand by 55 runs in the second ODI at Sabina Park.

Gayle thrashed the Black Caps bowlers for the second time in three days at the home of Jamaican cricket with 125 off 107 balls as the hosts racked up 315-5 - their highest ODI total against New Zealand.

In reaching three figures Gayle went past Brian Lara for the most ODI hundreds by a West Indian on 20.

Fellow Jamaican Samuels also reached a century in the final over of the West Indian innings off 102 balls, adding one more to his total before the close.

West Indies take a 2-0 lead in the series with three matches to play.

Martin Guptill (51) and Kane Williamson (59) gave the Black Caps some hope in reply with a third-wicket stand of 59 but the run-rate had started to rise by the time the former was dismissed.

Tom Latham followed soon after but BJ Watling joined Williamson in a quickfire stand of 70 in nine overs to give their side a flicker of hope.

Ravi Rampaul then trapped Williamson leg before as three wickets fell in the space of four overs to end the touring side's hopes as they were finally dismissed for 260.

New Zealand's biggest plus from the match was the continuing promise shown by ?keeper Watling, who added 71 not out off 62 balls to his 60 from the first ODI.

West Indies' total of 315 was considerably more than an understrength New Zealand side were capable of chasing but it seemed possible the home side could make 350 when Gayle and Samuels were together.

Opener Lendl Simmons (three) failed once more in the series when he was caught behind off Tim Southee but that just brought the in-form Dwayne Smith (24) to the crease.

The right-hander added 88 with Gayle before he was caught by Nathan McCullum at long-off from a leading edge to give newcomer Tarun Nethula a wicket.

Gayle played the lead role in the partnership, picking up the tempo from the fifth over when he clubbed Kyle Mills for three sixes in four balls.

The left-hander moved on to an inevitable century off 88 balls with his seventh four to go with eight sixes, adding one more four and six apiece before his dismissal.

It would have been a shock to the New Zealand team just as much as the crowd when Gayle swung a Mills full toss straight to Latham at deep midwicket, who took a simple catch.

Samuels continued the onslaught but momentum dwindled for a period with the removal of Gayle.

Kieron Pollard could only muster eight off nine balls before he was adjudged leg before to Southee. Had the batsman referred the decision he would have been reprieved as the inswinger was missing the stumps.

Southee claimed his third victim when a yorker was deflected off Dwayne Bravo's boot onto the wicket.

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy gave the innings a boost with 31 not out from 21 balls although only 69 were scored from the last 10 overs.

The sides move on to Basseterre for the last three ODIs, starting on Wednesday.