BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 9 June 2003 — Brian Lara hammered a sparkling 116 and Chris Gayle 94 as the West Indies posted a massive 312-4 against Sri Lanka in the second One-Day International at the Kensington Oval here yesterday.

Skipper Lara, who survived a confident caught-behind appeal when on nought, went on to smash two sixes and eight fours in his 17th century to brighten his team’s chances of squaring the three-match series.

Sri Lanka won the opening game by 55 runs at the same venue on Saturday.

Lara shared the limelight with Gayle, who struck two sixes and 12 fours, to put the West Indies on course for the highest total at this venue after the hosts had elected to bat.

Gayle put on 137 with Lara to equal the West Indies’ best for the second wicket against Sri Lanka in 38 one-dayers.

Lara, batting at his regular number-three position, also completed 1,000 runs in 22 matches against Sri Lanka as he swept, pulled and drove powerfully during his 106-ball knock.

Marlon Samuels also made merry after Lara and Gayle had set the stage for the closing-overs fireworks as he scored an unbeaten 36-ball 56, including 21 in an over from leg-spinner Upul Chandana.

Lara and Samuels put on 109 for the fourth wicket as the hosts plundered 115 in the closing 10 overs.

Sri Lanka packed their team with five spinners, but none could contain runs as Lara and Gayle gave the spectators plenty to cheer about with their rich stroke-play.

Left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas was the only bowler to command respect.

Vaas trapped Wavell Hinds (10) leg-before and had a confident caught-behind appeal against Lara turned down by New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden in his sixth over.

Gayle eased the pressure in the next over. He hit seamer Prabath Nissanka over point for his first six and then flicked for two successive fours.

Skipper Marvan Atapattu promptly replaced Nissanka with Kumar Dharmasena, but there was no stopping Gayle who greeted the off-spinner with a pulled boundary.

Gayle survived a loud appeal for a catch in the slips on 39 while attempting to sweep off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, but, like his captain, got the benefit of the doubt from Bowden. He continued to play shots and hoisted Chandana for a straight six after completing his 18th half-century.

England Give Nasser Hussain

‘Armchair Captaincy’ Role

In Chester-Le-Street, England, England will call on Nasser Hussain’s experience as captain during their upcoming one-day campaigns even though he has retired from the shorter version of the game.

Hussain, frustrated by the politics surrounding England’s boycott of their World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Harare, called time on his one-day career after the tournament, also saying he no longer felt he deserved a place in the team.

But England coach Duncan Fletcher said: “We will definitely use Nasser’s experience during the one-dayers. It’s good to have people from outside looking in because you can get a bit blinkered.”