Cricket: Black Caps no match for Gayle

There were positives for the Black Caps but they were still no match for Chris Gayle as the West Indies won the second one-dayer by 55 runs in Jamaica today. Photo / AP.

There were positives for the Black Caps but they were still no match for Chris Gayle as the West Indies won the second one-dayer by 55 runs in Jamaica today.

Gayle continued to dine out on the New Zealand bowling attack and he and Marlon Samuels hit centuries as part of the hosts' imposing first innings total of 315-5.

The Black Caps made a decent attempt in their chase, with Martin Guptill (51), Kane Williamson (58) and BJ Watling (72no) notching half-centuries, but were eventually dismissed for 260 after 47 overs.

The batting effort was an improvement on their heavy loss in Friday's first ODI, but the team were still outclassed and now face defeat in the five-match series in Thursday's third encounter.

Watling, who also top-scored in New Zealand's meagre 190 in game one, thought the team drew encouragement from their display at the crease.

"It was an improved batting effort by the guys," he said. "It was a much improved effort with the bat today.

"It's just disappointing we didn't get a bit closer and make it a real game. We were in with a sniff there at the end but we just lost too many wickets."

That meant Watling simply ran out of partners as he tried to steer his side toward the target. After being disappointed with his strike rate in Friday's anchoring innings, the wicketkeeper accelerated his effort today and his unbeaten 72 came from just 62 balls.

His 70-run partnership with Williamson was the best the Black Caps mustered, with the captain's departure triggering the loss of regular wickets.

"A couple of batters got fifties so that's obviously a confidence booster. We do have an inexperienced batting lineup. There's guys on their first tour and guys who have played 10 games.

"We've got to keep working on it. Fifty is obviously not good enough - their two blokes got hundreds."

That, in the end, was the difference. Gayle has put on a batting masterclass in the four matches the sides have played and he took it to another level today.

He (125) and Samuels (101no) put on 129 for the third wicket as the New Zealand bowlers again struggled to pick up wickets. They have dismissed only 13 West Indian batsmen in four matches, but Watling was pleased with the way the unit restricted their hosts once Gayle finally fell.

"We improved our death bowling and the boys really finished off the innings well," he said. "If we can take a couple of wickets at the start, get Gayle out and put them under a bit of pressure, I think we've got a chance of getting up in the next few games.

"We want to win the next game and get back in the series and then look to take it to two-all and have a decider. We've got an inexperienced side and we're looking to just keep improving each game, not make the same mistakes and keep trying to put these guys under pressure."

Watling pointed to Gayle as the difference between the sides and said the Black Caps needed to find out what the West Indies could do without him.

"If we can take Gayle out of the equation and make their other players bat, I think we've got a good chance of putting them under some pressure.

"We don't have that Gayle at the moment and we're looking to find it."