Gayle leads West Indies to convincing win over Kenya

West Indies have beaten Kenya by 106 runs in the First One-Day International of the series in Nairobi.

The day began well for Kenyan captain Maurice Odumbe, as he won the toss and inserted the visitors. But it was to be the only moment of joy for the hosts as the West Indies openers compiled an opening stand of 174.

Daren Ganga weighed in with a robust 68, but it was Chris Gayle who dominated. He was particularly severe on anything short or wide and hit 17 fours and three sixes in his 150-ball stay.

Ganga was dropped twice early on, and survived a missed stumping but Gayle's was a chanceless knock. Odumbe was obliged to juggle his eight bowlers in a vain attempt to stem the tide of runs, but could not prevent the tourists scoring at eight an over for the second half of the innings.

West Indies did wobble when Ganga played around a straight one from Tikolo, and Hinds and Hopper perished in the search for quick runs. But Gayle was not to be denied as he passed his previous ODI best of 76 to take the score to 256 before he was surprisingly bowled by Odoyo, for 152.

Gayle became one of a select group of West Indians to have scored 150 or more in a one-day international. Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Viv Richards (who passed 150 three times including a best of 189 against England) are the only previous West Indians to have achieved the feat.

Sarwan - 32 in just 16 balls - and Chanderpaul with a run-a-ball 32, ensured that the good start was not wasted as the West Indies reached 311-4 in their 50 overs.

Kenya never threatened to reach their imposing target. Corey Collymore and Colin Stuart effectively ended the game as a conquest in reducing Kenya to 26-3, including the key wicket of Steve Tikolo, trapped by an in-cutter, lbw for a duck.

Thomas Odoyo resisted bravely, but at 63-6 a rout was on the cards. But the lower order showed some determination and 42 were added for the seventh wicket, with Odoyo bringing up the 100 with a six over long on off McGarrell.

But in attempting to repeat the shot of Collymore he skied a catch. But Otieno joined Tony Suji to add 47 for the eighth before Suji edged to Hooper and Jimmy Kamande and Josephat Ababu added 44 for the tenth wicket as Kenya were finally dismissed in the final over for a respectable 205.

Stuart finished with an ODI best 5-44, and Gayle capped his wonderful day by taking the final wicket, Ababu, caught at mid off.