West Indies, New Zealand to face off in second game

West Indies will enter tomorrow’s second One-Day International against New Zealand with a 1-0 lead after winning the first match by nine wickets at Sabina Park yesterday.

The hosts cruised to an easy win following explosive unbeaten half-centuries from Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith.

Set a revised target of 136 off 33 overs following a two-hour rain break during their innings, West Indies posted victory off 24.2overs to earn their third victory in succession.

Gayle smashed 63 from 57 balls while Smith carved out 65 from 77 balls in an unbroken 130-run second wicket stand.

For Gayle, the half-century was his third consecutive following on from last weekend’s two Twenty20 matches in Florida.

Earlier, Jamaican all-rounder Andre Russell bagged four for 45 to restrict New Zealand to 190 for nine.

The second game of the five-match series will also take place at Sabina Park.