MANCHESTER, England, CMC:
WEST INDIES opening batsman Chris Gayle earned the man-of-the-match award on his debut with a useful all-round performance that propelled Worcestershire to a four-wicket victory in their latest National Cricket League Division One day/night match against Lancashire yesterday.
Worcestershire reached their target of 196 runs with 35 balls to spare, after Gayle smashed eight fours and one six in the top score of 53 from 41 balls.
Gayle had been the pick of the Worcestershire bowlers with two wickets for 25 runs from six overs, as the visitors restricted Lancs to 195 for nine from their allocation of 45 overs.
The left-handed Gayle then shared 73 for the first wicket with fellow opener Stephen Moore before he was the first batsman dismissed, when Glen Chapple bowled him in the 13th over.
No other Worcestershire batsman could match the savagery of Gayle, but they chipped away at the target with England protagonist Vikram Solanki scoring 31 and Ben Smith making 30.
Chapple was the most successful Lancs bowler with four for 23 from nine overs, and England fast bowler James Anderson snared two for 47 from nine overs.
Earlier, Australia's Stuart Law hit 10 fours and one six to lead the way for Lancs with 82 from 86 balls.
Gayle's two wickets late in the piece were Kyle Hogg, the 22-year-old grandson of West Indies spin bowling legend Sonny Ramadhin, and tailender Simon Marshall.
