Chris Gayle made a career-best 153 not out and took two wickets for 21 in 10 overs to guide the West Indies to a comfortable 51-run victory over Zimbabwe in their first one-day international on Saturday.

The West Indies won on the Duckworth-Lewis method after totalling an imposing 347 for six. Zimbabwe replied with 173 for three in 34.5 overs before rain washed out the rest of the game.

West Indies captain Brian Lara struck 113 for his 18th one-day century and overtook Desmond Haynes for the most one-day centuries scored for their country.

Lara reached his landmark in the 41st over and in all he faced 82 balls, hitting 14 fours and three sixes.

Opener Gayle played the more measured innings, many of his runs coming from straight drives and pulls. He faced 160 balls, striking 19 fours and two sixes.

Gayle and Lara kept the runs flowing until the 43rd over, when Lara was run out by Craig Wishart to end a partnership of 176 off 156 balls.

When Zimbabwe batted Gayle came on to bowl his off-spinners in the seventh over and struck with consecutive deliveries three overs into his unbroken spell.

Trevor Gripper scored 16 before his uppish drive was caught by Lara at mid-on and Mark Vermuelen edged the next Gayle ball to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Opener Vusi Sibanda (58) and Wishart (72 not out) batted solidly, adding 110 for the third wicket, but when the rain came the West Indies had done enough.

Gayle said: "I got some starts in the Test series but I didn't do that well. But I've worked really hard to try and put that right in the one-day series and I want to spend a lot more time in the middle."

Lara said: "It's great to see Chris getting runs, especially after he struggled a bit in the Test series."

Zimbabe captain Heath Streak said: "They were two great innings from Brian and Chris. They struck the ball well and they took the game away from us."

The second match in the five-game series is also in Bulawayo on Sunday. West Indies won the Test series 1-0.

Scoreboard:

West Indies:
W.Hinds c Taibu b Blignaut 28
C.Gayle not out 153
B.Lara run out (Wishart) 113
R.Sarwan run out (Streak) 0
S.Chanderpaul lbw b Ervine 8
M.Samuels b Matsikenyeri  6
R.Powell c Sibanda b Streak 17
C.Baugh not out 3

Extras: (b-3 lb-1 nb-3 w-12) 19

Total: (for six wickets, 50 overs) 347

Fall of wickets: 1-77 2-253 3-255 4-282 5-289 6-328

Did not bat: V.Drakes, M.Dillon, R.Rampaul

Bowling: Streak 10-0-52-1 (w-4), Blignaut 8-1-57-1 (w-4), Brent 10-0-61-0 (w-1), Ervine 7-0-75-1 (nb-3 w-1), Price 10-0-52-0, Gripper 2-0-15-0, Matsikenyeri 3-0-31-1 (w-2)

Zimbabwe:
V.Sibanda c Powell b Drakes 58
T.Gripper c Lara b Gayle 16
M.Vermeulen c Chanderpaul b Gayle 0
C.Wishart not out 72
A.Blignaut not out 10

Extras: (lb-2 nb-11 w-4) 17

Total: (for three wickets, 34.5 overs) 173

Fall of wickets: 1-40 2-40 3-150

Did not bat: S.Matsikenyeri, T.Taibu, S.Ervine, H.Streak, R.Price, G.Brent.

Bowling: Dillon 7.5-0-52-0 (nb-6 w-1), Drakes 4-0-15-1, Samuels 6-0-22-0 (w-2), Gayle 10-1-21-2 (w-1), Sarwan 3-0-23-0, Rampaul 4-0-38-0 (nb-5).

Result: West Indies won by 51 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method).

Second match: November 23, Bulawayo

Third match: November 26, Harare

Fourth match: November 29, Harare

Fifth match: November 30, Harare