New Delhi:Dashing opener Chris Gayle top-scored with 80 and Kieron Pollard hit 60 off just 27 balls as West Indies racked up an imposing 330-8 against the Netherlands in the World Cup on Monday.
Gayle, 31, put on 100 runs for the opening wicket with Devon Smith (53) after the Caribbean side were put into bat on a placid Feroz Shah Kotla wicket in the day-night Group B clash.
Pollard, who plays for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, hammered five fours and four sixes on his way to the third-fastest World Cup half-century while Ramnaresh Sarwan chipped in with a 42-ball 49.
Pollard said it was crucial to put on a good performance after a dispiriting seven-wicket defeat to South Africa in their first match of the competition.
“This is something that we actually needed. For the batsmen to go out there and actually show what they can do is good for us and hopefully we can learn from our mistakes and move forward,” said Pollard.
“Our all-round cricket has to stand up. The batting was just a start for us,” added the powerful all-rounder. “There’s now the fielding and bowling departments. If we can get it together we now have a couple of games where we can go out there and show our talent.”
Gayle overcame a subdued start to unleash seven fours and two sixes in his 110-ball knock, which was cut short by all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate (1-77) during a batting powerplay.
Smith (53) scored at a quicker pace than his more famous partner, racing to his fourth one-day half-century off 45 balls with the help of nine fours.
Just when Smith looked set to go on to a bigger score, he edged behind off medium-pacer Bernard Loots to give the Netherlands their first breakthrough in the 17th over.
The promising Darren Bravo (30) joined in the party briefly, dispatching Australian-born Tom Cooper in the stands before hitting another six off left-arm spinner Pieter Seelaar (3-45).
But Seelaar took his revenge in his very next over, tempting Bravo to charge down the pitch and offer a simple catch to Alexei Kervezee at long-on.
Kervezee also took two more catches, which accounted for Gayle and captain Darren Sammy (six) in an otherwise sloppy performance in the field by the non-Test playing nation.
West Indies brought in left-arm spinner Nikita Miller in place of the injured Dwayne Bravo for the crucial tie.
The Netherlands retained the side that lost to England by six wickets last week.
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