Gayle belts Windies to series win

Chris Gayle smashed an unbeaten 95 at better than a run-a-ball to fire the West Indies [Images] to a series-winning victory over Zimbabwe in the fifth one-day international in Gros Islet, St Lucia on Wednesday.

Gayle smashed 13 boundaries and a six off 91 balls as the West Indies won the first day-night international to be held in the Caribbean by 10 wickets.

The home side scored 156 without loss in only 27.4 overs to comfortably overhaul a modest target of 153, which was set when Zimbabwe were dismissed for 152 in 49.2 overs.

Gayle's fellow left-hander, Sewnarine Chattergoon, who played only his second one-day international, scored an unbeaten 54 off 78 balls.

The win gave West Indies a 4-0 lead in the seven-match series ahead of the final two games in Trinidad on Saturday and Sunday.

"I've told the guys that if we're batting second we should try and accomplish our targets in 35 overs," West Indies captain Brian Lara [Images] told reporters after the match.

"We were a bit slow in the field but we still achieved what we wanted to do, the guys batted really well."

Zimbabwe, who batted first after winning the toss, fell mainly to debutant left-arm wrist spinner Dave Mohammed and medium pacer Dwayne Bravo [Images].

Mohammed bowled with clever variation to collect three for 37 from 10 overs, while Bravo, who took two of his wickets with successive balls in the final over, finished with three for 24 from 9.2 overs.

Mohammed struck with his sixth delivery to bowl Vusi Sibanda for four with a googly that spun across the batsman. He removed Blessing Mahwire for a third-ball duck in an almost identical manner.

Mohammed's other victim, Keith Dabangwa, attempted to cut and became a rare hit-wicket victim for seven.

Strydom smashed two sixes off Mohammed before Bravo bowled him off the inside edge with a slower ball in the last over of the innings.

Bravo, who ended the innings by bowling Anthony Ireland with the first ball he faced, earlier removed Brendan Taylor for 21 with a catch at mid-on.

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