ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

Veteran left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul fashioned his 28th Test century and climbed to eighth on the all-time list of run-scorers, while Chris Gayle posted his 15th Test hundred, as West Indies took a vice grip on the second Test against Zimbabwe yesterday.

At the close of the second day at Windsor Park, West Indies had reached an imposing 382 for eight, a lead of 206 runs heading into today's third day.

The 38-year-old Chanderpaul made 108, an innings that propelled him past Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene on the all-time list with 10,830 runs in his 149th Test.

He faced 284 balls and struck 13 fours to record his second century at the venue and his first against the African side.

Gayle, meanwhile, struck 101 from 145 balls with 12 fours and one six to record his second century against Zimbabwe.

Not to be left out, Denesh Ramdin helped himself to his 10th half-century in Tests, an attractive 86 that helped West Indies assert control of the game in the post-lunch session.

worst possible start

Off-spinner Prosper Utseya, who came in for a hiding from Gayle in the first session, finished with three for 60 while seamer Kyle Jarvis (2-82) and leg-spinner Graeme Cremer (2-82) picked up two wickets apiece.

Resuming the day on 114 for two, the Windies had the worst possible start when Marlon Samuels was bowled off the first ball of the day for his overnight 26.

Seamer Tendai Chatara angled in a full-length delivery which swung away late and spectacularly plucked out the right-hander's off stump.

Gayle and Chanderpaul then steadied the innings with a 67-run, fourth-wicket stand that pushed the Windies in sight of the 200-run mark.

The left-handed Gayle, resuming on 61, emerged from a cautious start to rip into the Zimbabwe bowling with a series of telling blows.

After quietly moving into the 80s, he suddenly exploded with a six over midwicket off medium pacer Hamilton Masakadza and then raced up to 99 with two consecutive sixes off Utseya.

A single to point off the next ball raised three figures for Gayle but he perished soon afterwards as he failed to clear the ropes with Utseya, and was brilliantly held at long off by Jarvis, running around and diving.

Chanderpaul and Ramdin then killed off any hopes Zimbabwe may have harboured of remaining competitive, as they combined in a 173-run, fifth-wicket partnership which consumed the post-lunch session.

The obdurate Guyanese was characteristically unflappable, but was quick to put away anything loose, and reached his half-century about half-hour after lunch when he came down to Cremer and worked him through wide midwicket for four.

Surviving two half-chances at bat-pad off Cremer, Chanderpaul remained composed and reached his landmark with a pull for a single to deep square leg off Jarvis.

Ramdin joined in the fun, taking two boundaries from the first over after lunch from Jarvis before lofting Cremer over long on for six. He raised his half-century with a streaky shot for two to third man that also brought up the 100-run partnership.

SCOREBOARD

Zimbabwe 1st Innings 175

West Indies 1st innings

(overnight 114 for two)

Extras (b4, lb7, w1) 12

Total (8 wkts, 117 overs) 381

To bat: S Gabriel

Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-35, 3-114, 4-181, 5-354, 6-366, 7-370, 8-370.

Bowling: Jarvis 21-3-82-2 (w1), Chatara 22-2-69-1, Masakadza 17-6-48-0, Cremer 34-6-102-2, Utseya 22-6-60-3, Williams 1-0-9-0.

Position: West Indies lead by 206 runs.

Toss: West Indies,.

Umpires: A Hill, R Martinesz;

TV: B Oxenford.