BBC SPORT | Cricket | Gayle blows hot for Windies

Fifth one-day international, Baroda: West Indies 291-5 (46.5 overs/48) beat India 290-8 (48 overs) by five wickets

Chris Gayle hit his third century as West Indies took a 3-2 lead over India with a five-wicket victory in Baroda.

In another thrilling finish, the tourists passed India's 290 for eight with seven balls remaining after a questionable umpiring decision led to Gayle's dismissal for 101 and forced the team to rebuild.

Captain Carl Hooper and Ricardo Powell, though, added 52 in eight overs to steer the Caribbean side home.

Hooper hit a single boundary in his run-a-ball 21 not out, while Powell hit two fours and a six in his unbeaten 30.

Match photos from Baroda

The match was curtailed to 48 overs after a late start because of heavy dew.

Left-hander Gayle, who hit 103 in the second match of the series and 140 in Friday's losing effort in Ahmedabad, reached three figures off just 105 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes.

But two wickets in successive balls in the 39th over upset an apparent cruise to victory.

A misunderstanding between Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul saw the Guyanese batsman sacrifice his wicket for eight.

And Gayle was given out by umpire Asoka de Silva caught behind off Harbhajan Singh even though wicket-keeper Rahul Dravid did not appeal.

VVS Laxman
Laxman top-scored for the home side
Gayle has been joined by Wavell Hinds in an opening stand of 132, Hinds smashing 80 from 61 deliveries with 10 fours and five sixes.

But India fought back through their spinners with two wickets in consecutive overs, removing Hinds and the in-form Marlon Samuels for one make it 135 for two in the 18th over.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was caught off spinner Murli Kartik for 34, bringing an end to an 83-run stand with Gayle in the 36th over.

Openers set tone

Earlier, VVS Laxman top-scored with 71 after swift half-centuries from openers Sehwag and Ganguly, lifting India to an imposing total after they were asked to bat first Hooper.

Sehwag lashed 52 from 39 balls in his 88-run partnership with Ganguly, who weighed in with 53 from 55 balls for his 50th one-day half-century.

But both batsmen fell soon after reaching their half-centuries as West Indies fought back.

Left-arm fast bowler Pedro Collins recovered from Sehwag's early assault to finish with three for 60.

Laxman and Dravid shared 78 runs for the third wicket but struggled to find boundaries before Sanjay Bangar made a cameo 27 from 20 balls.

India: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Vangipurappu Laxman, Rahul Dravid (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Sanjay Bangar, Murali Kartik, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Lakshmipathy Balaji.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Ridley Jacobs (wk), Corey Collymore, Pedro Collins, Vasbert Drakes.

Umpires: Asoka De Silva and Arani Jayaprakash.


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