Chris Gayle bombarded England with sixes on his West Indies return, clearing the ropes 12 times on his way to 135 a the hosts set a winning target of 361 in the first one-day international in Barbados.
The 39-year-old, simultaneously ending a six-month exile from ODI cricket and beginning a lap of honour that will end in retirement after this summer’s World Cup, lost a series of balls as he repeatedly heaved the visiting attack into the leg-side to bring up a 24th century in the format.
The left-hander’s brutal hitting carried his side to 360 for eight – their biggest total on home soil and best against England. With 23 maximums in the innings it was also a world record, beating the 22 the Windies conceded to New Zealand in 2014.
Gayle reasserted his claim to be the ‘Universe Boss’ in a pre-series press appearance but, after being dropped on nine by Jason Roy, he let actions speak louder than words at the Kensington Oval.
After a ponderous start he gradually lined up the England attack, scoring his first 50 in 76 deliveries but taking just 24 over his next 50.
He celebrated the moment first by dropping to his knees and hailing the pavilion, then got to his feet and balanced his maroon hat on top of his bat before holding both implements high above his head.
There were personal landmarks along the way, with Gayle overtaking Shahid Afridi’s mark of 476 to make him the most prolific six-hitter in international cricket and leapfrogging Brian Lara as the top one-day run-scorer at the venue.
Moeen Ali suffered the messiest figures, with 10 wicketless overs for 85, while Liam Plunkett – the bowler who might have had Gayle in single figures had Roy held a difficult chance at point in the 12th over, also struggled. He got through six overs for 54, and saw four of the 14 balls he bowled at Gayle clobbered over the boundary.
It fell to Ben Stokes to see off the veteran, but not until the 47th over when a fully-pitched slower ball clattered the stumps via an inside edge. The England all-rounder finished with three for 37, including the wicket of his 2016 World T20 final nemesis Carlos Brathwaite.
Shai Hope made 64 and Adil Rashid’s leg-spin also yielded three scalps but their efforts were shunted to the margins by Gayle’s comeback ton.
Ashley Nurse hit the record-breaking 23rd six off the final ball of the innings, his third in an eight-ball cameo that yielded 25 not out.
