West Indies batsman Xavier Marshall ploughed his way into the record books with an awesome display of power hitting at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club in King City, Toronto yesterday.

Batting at number four, the 22-year old Jamaican set a new record for the most sixes struck in an ODI, bettering the old mark by one that was previously shared between Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya and India's Shahid Afridi.

In all, Marshall banged 12 sixes and 11 fours during an explosive 118-ball innings lasting some 131 minutes as the Windies piled up a massive 303 for four against hosts Canada in the Scotiabank Series Cup encounter before a crowd of 3,000 plus at King City.

He also shared in two century partnerships that kept the Windies firmly in control after electing to take first strike on a flat pitch.

Prior to yesterday's record-breaking feat, Marshall had compiled 156 runs in 16 ODI appearances.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette after laying the foundation for the Windies' 49 run win against a courageous Canada, the soft spoken Marshall said: "I didn't even know I had broken the record . . . hopefully I can continue on and break other records such as the 400 (Brian Lara's highest Test score).

"I felt good out there today and I always want to do good. I train very hard and it feels good to go out there and dominate and hopefully I can continue to do so."

Marshall was dismissed for a duck two days prior against Bermuda at the same venue and yesterday he seemed to take his frustration out on the Canadian attack that was put to the sword.

"When I got out the other day (against Bermuda) I was pushing at the new ball. I thought I should've waited a bit longer," Marshall reflected. "I decided that the next time I go to bat I am going to stay there and play the ball in the middle of the bat and take it from there.

"The ball wasn't coming through and so I had to wait and really keep my eyes on the ball ¿ and it paid off."

Marshall added 128 runs with Leon Johnson (51) for the fourth- wicket and then dominated an unbroken 111-run stand for the fifth with Australian-born all-rounder Brendan Nash (39 not out).

With the exception of first change Rizwan Cheema, no other Canadian bowler was spared Marshall's one-man assault with seamers Abdool Samad and Havir Baidwan coming in for the heaviest punishment. Samad went for 22 runs in his third and final over while Baidwan was carted for 47 runs during his second spell, including 16 off the final over as Marshall powered the Windies past 300.

Cheema led the Canadian attack with figures of three for 31 and then capped off a memorable all-round performance by smashing a boundary-filled 89 off 69 balls to give the hosts a solid base before left-arm seamer Nash (three for 56) and left- arm spinner Dave Mohammed (two for 34) applied the brakes to restrict the Canadians to 254 all out in 47.2 overs.

The Canadian opening bat, who was dropped three times, hit six sixes and ten fours before he became his team's second wicket to fall at 126 in the 18th over. The two teams will do battle again at King City tomorrow in the final of the Scotiabank Series Cup.

n The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) are expected to decide soon whether or not to send a delegation to next month's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan where violence has steadily increased in the wake of president Pervez Musharraf's resignation earlier this week.

Escalating violence in the province has prompted South Africa to withdraw from the tournament and it's now highly anticipated others such as Australia, England and New Zealand will join them.

Omar Khan, the West Indies manager, said yesterday his team will await the findings of an ICC Board meeting tomorrow before exploring their options.

"There is going to be a conference on Sunday and so we have to see how things go.

"Obviously there are some concerns from the players regarding the situation in Pakistan and I'm sure those concerns will be expressed by the Board when they talk to the ICC on Sunday," Khan told The Royal Gazette.

Asked would a switch in venue have any effect on the team, Khan replied: "At the end of the day as professional cricketers we have to be prepared for anything."

In an official press release, the WICB stated: "At this stage one has to be very careful with the player's safety and what each country has put in place for their team's well being."

Yet despite assurances from the ICC the South Africans have already taken matters into their own hands and pulled out of the eight-nation tournament to be held September 12-28.

Earlier this week Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf resigned, igniting civil unrest and violence in the region.