BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – A thrilling, boundary-studded 24th One-day International hundred from Chris Gayle was upstaged by hundreds from Jason Roy and Joe Root, as WINDIES were outplayed in the first Colonial Medical Insurance One-day International and England underlined their World No.1 status with a seven-wicket victory in a record run chase here.

Watched by a capacity, mid-week crowd that included the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers, former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur and Butch Stewart, chairman of the Sandals Group, the WINDIES jersey sponsor, the hosts missed a golden chance to take a lead in the five-match series following an amazing hundred from Gayle, the self-proclaimed “Universe Boss”.

Full scorecard of the match, click here: http://cricketwestindies.org/index.php/match-centre/ and click on the "INTERNATIONAL" tab.

Gayle emerged from an unusually quiet start to massacre the England attack for 135 off 129 balls and catapulted the WINDIES to 360 for eight from their allocation of 50 overs – their joint third highest total in terms of runs in an ODI, as well as their highest ODI total ever against England and the highest ODI total ever at Kensington Oval – after they chose to bat in plu-perfect conditions.

But the WINDIES missed seven chances in the field, and Roy, later named Player-of-the-Match, and Root, the two prime beneficiaries, stroked their seventh and 14th ODI hundreds respectively, as England completed their highest ever run chase and the third-highest ever in ODI history to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

The home team were under pressure early, as Roy, whose 123 from 85 balls was the top score, and fellow opener Jonny Bairstow shared 91 for the first wicket to set a strong platform for England’s pursuit.

After WINDIES captain Jason Holder had Bairstow caught behind for 34 in the 11th over, the WINDIES failed to keep a lid on the England scoring rate and Roy kept the visitors on track in a stand of 114 for the second wicket with Root, whose 116-run, third-wicket stand with ODI captain Eoin Morgan practically sealed the result for the visitors.

Holder claimed Root, whose 102 from 97 balls followed his second innings hundred in the preceding third Test against the WINDIES, before Jos Buttler pulled him through mid-wicket for four to formalise the result with eight balls remaining, as England completed the third highest run chase ever in an ODI.

Earlier, Gayle smashed just three fours, but an amazing 12 sixes – the most by a batsman in an ODI in the Caribbean – that formed the basis of the WINDIES hitting a World record 23 sixes in their innings, erasing the previous record of 22 held by New Zealand against Daren Sammy’s WINDIES just over five years ago at Queenstown in New Zealand.

Such was the six-hitting by the WINDIES that their innings ran half-hour over the time limit, as several balls sailed well over the stands around the ground, which kept fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite busy with a number of ball changes.

Gayle reached exactly 100 from an equal number of balls, slapping a delivery from Chris Woakes through point for a single, and shared three significant stands that set up the WINDIES for their final total.

He was fortunate, on nine, when Jason Roy put down a running chance in the cover off Plunkett from a miscued hook with WINDIES 52-1 in the 12th over.

Gayle put on 131 with Shai Hope for the second wicket, added 60 for the third wicket with Shimron Hetmyer and a further 64 for the fifth wicket with Darren Bravo before he was bowled in the 47th over, dragging on a slower delivery Ben Stokes.

The second ODI will be played at Kensington Oval on Friday.

(CWI)

Want to create more memorable experiences in beautiful Barbados? Check out some of the upcoming events that you can take part in!