GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

CARICOM Superstars completed back-to-back wins in the President's Premier League Twenty20 series when Chris Gayle blasted a ferocious half-century and led them to a 20-run victory at the Guyana National Stadium last Saturday night.

Watched by a capacity crowd of 16,000 fans, the Gayle-led CARICOM side was sent to bat by the President's XI and scored a challenging 164 for nine off their 20 overs.

The President's XI, who were defeated by five wickets the previous night, reached 144 for nine in reply when their overs expired.

The pugnacious left-handed Gayle, who missed the first game due to personal reasons, played an innings of great attraction, scoring 75 from 59 balls, which was laced with four fours and five sixes.

He was also involved in an entertaining 87-run fourth-wicket stand with the talented Darren Bravo, the younger brother of West Indies all-rounder Dwayne.

The left-handed Bravo hit a cameo 22-ball 44 - taking away some of the limelight from eventual Man-of-the-Match Gayle - with some scintillating pulls for sixes against the Guyanese spinners.

Former West Indies leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo bowled with accuracy and control on a responsive pitch to grab five wickets for 14 runs, including a hat-trick, from his allotted four overs.

Winning team

When the local boys began their chase, they lost skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan without scoring, while opener Sewnarine Chattergoon scored a fighting 20.

Xavier Marshall picked up three wickets for 22 runs from four overs.

Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo delivered the first ball to Gayle, who thumped it for six over midwicket, while fireworks were displayed immediately after.

The winning team collected a trophy and US$5,000.

In Friday night's first match, CARICOM Superstars had won by five wickets with Daren Ganga, with a run-a-ball 39 and Kieron Pollard (4-12), being the standout performers.