BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Rain ruined the highly anticipated Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) clash between Barbados Tridents and Jamaica Tallawahs, allowing just 10 overs at Kensington Oval here Monday.

In a game reduced to 12 overs a side following a 2 1/2-hour delayed start, Tallawahs raced to 116 for two before the rains returned again at 11:09 pm to end the contest for good and force a no-result.

In the time available, however, left-handed superstar Chris Gayle produced an awesome exhibition of hitting and was unbeaten on 47 off 20 deliveries.

He belted two fours and five giant sixes, powering two partnerships which lifted Tallawahs beyond the 100-run mark with ease.

Gayle put on 47 for the first wicket with Chadwick Walton, who struck 25 from 21 deliveries, and a further 59 for the second wicket with Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, who also made 25 from 14 balls.

He seemed set to dominate the last two overs when the weather drove players from the field before officials called time on the game half-hour later.

Both teams earned a point from the contest.

With play getting underway at 10:15 pm, Tallawahs were handed a rousing start after they were sent in, with Gayle and Walton playing with abandon.

Walton collected two well-timed boundaries off South Africa pacer Wayne Parnell in the third over of the innings, while Gayle warmed up by clearing the ropes at long on with fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, in the fourth over which cost 13 runs.

The right-handed Walton holed out to long off off off-spinner Shoaib Malik after striking four boundaries, and it paved the way for Gayle and Sangakkara to dominate.

In his elegant style, Sangakkara slammed 16 runs off the eighth over sent down by Shoaib, and Gayle chimed in with three massive sixes off South African seamer David Wiese in the following over which leaked 21 runs.

Sangakkara thumped three fours and a six before going, bowled by Rampaul at the start of the 10th over as he gave himself room to hit through the off-side.

Rookie Jamaican Rovman Powell had time for a six over long on off the final ball of the over, before the Tallawahs fireworks were doused by another downpour.