Awesome Gayle powers West Indies into final

CRICKET: Chris Gayle smashed 133 not out to power holders West Indies into their third Champions Trophy final with a six-wicket victory over South Africa on Thursday.

The 27-year-old Jamaican stroked his third hundred of the tournament after a 154-run opening partnership with fellow left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul to guide West Indies to 262 for four in 44 overs in reply to South Africa's 258 for eight.

They play world champions Australia in the final in Mumbai on Sunday.

Gayle's second successive hundred, and 15th overall, was studded with 17 fours and three sixes as he continued to the end after Chanderpaul retired hurt with cramp.

Herschelle Gibbs top-scored with 77 for South Africa after skipper Graeme Smith elected to bat.

SOUTH AFRICA 

G. Smith b Taylor		19 
L. Bosman c Gayle b Samuels	39 
J. Kallis c Sarwan b Bravo	16 
H. Gibbs c Lara b Bravo	77 
AB de Villiers run out		46 
K. Kemp b Bradshaw		3 
M. Boucher c Sarwan b Samuels	16 
S. Pollock b Taylor		4 
R. Peterson not out		15 
A. Nel not out		0 

EXTRAS (b1, lb6, nb1, w15)	23 

TOTAL (for eight wickets)	258 

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-27 (Smith), 2-65 (Kallis), 3-96 (Bosman), 4-188 (de Villiers), 
	5-195 (Kemp), 6-219 (Boucher), 7-227 (Pollock), 8-256 (Gibbs) 
BOWLING: Bradshaw 10-0-58-1 (nb1, w2), Taylor 10-1-48-2 (w2), 
	Bravo 7-0-41-2 (w8), Smith 4-1-12-0 (w1), Gayle 10-0-48-0 (w1), Samuels 9-0-44-2 (w1) 

WEST INDIES

C. Gayle not out		133 
S. Chanderpaul retd hurt	57 
R. Sarwan lbw b Ntini		27 
D. Bravo run out		15 
B. Lara c and b Smith		9 
R. Morton c de Villiers b Peterson	0 
M. Samuels not out		5 

EXTRAS (lb7, nb3, w6)		16 

TOTAL (FOR FOUR WICKETS)	262 

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-196 (Sarwan), 2-226 (Bravo), 3-243 (Lara), 4-244 (Morton) 
Bowling: Pollock 5-0-34-0 (w1), Ntini 7-0-49-1 (nb1, w1), Nel 10-1-60-0 (nb1, w2), 
	Smith 10-0-43-1, Kallis 5-0-33-0 (nb1, w1), Peterson 7-0-36-1 (w1) 
Man of the match: Chris Gayle (WIS) 

JAIPUR, Thursday AFP