Super over excites Gayle

Chris Gayle hit 25 off the super-over to ensure the victory © Getty Images

Buy this photo

West Indies skipper Chris Gayle was delighted to lead his side to a 10-run super-over victory against New Zealand after the teams finished tied for the second time in a Twenty20 international.

In 2006 West Indies lost a bowl-off after their first Twenty20 international, also against New Zealand, ended in a tie at Eden Park.

Almost three years later, on the same Auckland ground, the West Indies skipper smacked 25 runs off one super-over by Black Caps counterpart Daniel Vettori as New Zealand came up 10 runs short in their one-over reply.

"It's the second time I've played here in a Twenty20 game and the game's been a tie," said Gayle.

"It's the first time I've experienced it (the super-over) but I thought it was a good one-over game. It was good that we came out on top and we look forward to it again."

West Indies should have wrapped up victory far easier than they did after a controlled bowling display, particularly by Gayle and Sulieman Benn, restricted New Zealand to 155 for seven.

Only Ross Taylor, who hit four boundaries and four sixes on his way to a 50-ball 63, lasted more than 17 balls as the New Zealand innings stuttered from the start.

"I thought we bowled well," Gayle said. "I thought Ross Taylor played a good innings and I've got to give credit for the way he batted.

Daniel Vettori thinks his New Zealand line-uo should have put more runs on the board

"In the end we kept our cool and started to restrict them a bit in the last overs and I thought Benn bowled really well."

Black Caps skipper Vettori admitted his side had probably not put enough runs on the board to win.

"We were a little bit short," he said. "Maybe around 180 would have been a great score but I was really pleased with the fight we showed with the ball.

"In the end we probably should have won the game but we messed up in the last couple of balls. Getting eased away for four can be a little bit of a heartbreaker but I was pleased with the fightback."

Vettori was also phlegmatic about the end result in the super-over having conceded 25 runs, including three sixes and a boundary, in that last over spell.

"It's just sometimes the ground's not big enough for Chris Gayle and there were some great shots," he added.

"We got close and if we'd hit one more six there at the end it would have been a real interesting last couple of balls. But that's what a last over lottery is about."