Gayle, Samuels lift West Indies to 191-8

Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels hit attacking half-centuries as the West Indies scored 191-8 against Australia in a group B match of the World Twenty20 in Colombo on Saturday.

Left-handed Gayle smashed 54 off 33 balls and Samuels plundered 50 from 32 balls after the West Indies elected to bat in their first match of the tournament.

Some 18,000 fans at the Premadasa stadium were treated to a flurry of strokes as Gayle hit four sixes and five boundaries and Samuels chipped in with four sixes and three fours.

Australia, who defeated Ireland by seven wickets in their first match, will advance to the Super Eights stage from the group if they win.

Australia rued a dropped catch at third man by Shane Watson when Gayle was on four, as the opener pounded young fast bowler Pat Cummins for 18 runs in the fifth over.

When Gayle reached his half-century off 26 balls in the eighth over, the West Indies had moved to a promising 80-2.

He put om 39 in 23 balls for the second wicket with Johnson Charles (16) and 46 for the third with Samuels.

Watson avenged his error by holding a high return catch to dismiss Gayle off the first ball of the 11th over, but Samuels took over to destroy the Australian bowling.