NORTH SOUND (Antigua), July 27: Chris Gayle reached his 14th century and fellow left-hander Kieran Powell closed in on his first as the West Indies continued their domination of New Zealand on day three of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here on Friday.

The hosts, replying to New Zealand’s 351 all out, went to lunch on 245-0 with Gayle cracking an unbeaten 146 and Powell compiling 96 not out.

The 32-year-old Gayle, known for his mighty shots in world cricket, playing in his first Test for 18 months, faced 198 balls and struck 17 fours and four sixes.

Powell, 10 years younger than Gayle, lashed 15 fours off 235 deliveries.

The pair’s stand, the ninth double-century opening stand for the West Indies in Tests, took just under five hours.

Gayle, resuming on 85, passed three figures 30 minutes into the day when he swatted seamer Chris Martin over midwicket for six. The century was Gayle’s third against the Kiwis.

Powell, too, pushed his overnight individual score of 58 to a career-best knock, driving sweetly off front and back foot.

Gayle, who was let off on 36 by Daniel Flynn off Doug Bracewell on day two, also benefited from a chance just before lunch when Ross Taylor floored a slip catch after an edge off Kane Williamson rebounded from wicket-keeper Kruger van Wyk.

On Thursday, New Zealand added another 119 runs to their overnight total of 232-4 before being dismissed for 351 in the afternoon session.

It would have been even worse for the tourists but for a counter-attacking 39 off 31 by number 10 Doug Bracewell, who put on 42 for the final wicket with Martin.

Spinner Sunil Narine took his maiden five-wicket haul, finishing with five for 132 after adding two more wickets to his three scalps from day one.—Agencies

Scoreboard NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings): Daniel Flynn c Powell b Narine    45 Martin Guptill c Deonarine b Narine    97 Brendon McCullum c Deonarine b Roach    25 Ross Taylor b Narine    45 Neil Wagner c Sammy b Narine    4 Kane Williamson b Roach    19 Dean Brownlie c Ramdin b Rampaul    23 Kruger van Wyk c Fudadin b Narine    11 Daniel Vettori c Deonarine b Sammy    17 Doug Bracewell c Chanderpaul b Ranpaul    39 Chris Martin not out    4

EXTRAS (B-14, LB-1, W-1, NB-6)    22 TOTAL (all out, 129.1 overs)    351 FALL OF WKTS: 1-97, 2-133, 3-223, 4-228, 5-233, 6-273, 7-281, 8-308, 9-309. BOWLING: Ravi Rampaul 23.1-9-44-2 (1w); Kemar Roach 23-8-55-2 (5nb); Darren Sammy 26-7-76-1; Sunil Narine 43-9-132-5 (1nb); Marlon Samuels 6-2-14-0; Assad Fudadin 5-1-11-0; Narsingh Deonarine 3-1-4-0.

WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 145-0): Chris Gayle not out    146 Kieran Powell not out    96 EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1)    3 TOTAL (for no wkt, 72 overs)    245 TO BAT: Assad Fudadin, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Sunil Narine, Kemar Roach, Ravi Rampaul. BOWLING (to-date): Chris Martin 13-3-75-0 (1nb); Doug Bracewell 14-2-46-0; Neil Wagner 15-4-54-0; Daniel Vettori 21-6-48-0; Kane Williamson 9-1-20-0.