Cricket: Black Caps chase 312 for win

West Indies captain Chris Gayle fell three runs short of a double century. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand have been set 312 to win the second and final cricket test against the West Indies and win the series 1-0 on the final day at McLean Park here today.

The West Indies were dismissed in their second innings for 375 in the last over before lunch after resuming on 278 for seven.

Captain Chris Gayle top scored with 197, his eighth test hundred and first for more than three years.

New Zealand have two sessions to reach the winning target off a minimum of 60 overs - a steep run rate of 5.2 per over.

Gayle and Fidel Edwards added a valuable 70 runs for the eighth wicket before the opener was finally dislodged when caught behind by Brendon McCullum off the bowling of Jeetan Patel.

Gayle batted 8-1/2 hours and struck 20 boundaries and seven sixes from 396 balls.

Patel also removed Edwards for 20 to record his first five-wicket haul in test cricket. He had figures of five for 110 off 46 overs.

The first test in Dunedin was a rain-affected draw. A two-match Twenty20 series and five one-day internationals follow the test series.

- NZPA