West Indies master blaster Chris Gayle has taken aim at Cricket Australia for preventing David Warner from continuing his batting pyrotechnics for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.
Australian opener Warner has been told to put his feet up after his third Test heroics against India instead of turning out in the Thunder's must-win BBL clash against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba tonight.
CA on Monday knocked back a second request from the Thunder for the swashbuckling star to be released for T20 action after Australia steamrolled the tourists inside three days in Perth.
Just four Test players - 12th man Nathan Lyon, little-used left-armer Mitchell Starc and out-of-form duo Brad Haddin and Shaun Marsh - have been allowed to play in the BBL this week.
Warner, who belted 180 at the WACA, and the rest of the Test squad are being rested to ensure they will be fresh for the fourth Test, starting on January 24 at Adelaide Oval.
Disappointed he has only had one chance to open with the Thunder captain in the Big Bash, Gayle said CA needed to review their workload management policy for batsmen.
"If you want the Big Bash to get even bigger and better you need those sort of guys," the former Windies skipper said.
"You can monitor the fast bowlers but the batters, if they are available, why not play them?
"That will actually bring more spice and more crowds to the game to watch them.
"David Warner could have actually played a few games that he didn't."
Instead, the Thunder's hopes of an unlikely finals berth will rest heavily on Gayle against the Heat at the Gabba as no other batsman has posted a score of note.
Both teams hold 2-4 records and require a big win and other results to go their way to make the top four.
The Heat will be without Test quick Ryan Harris themselves and aren't celebrating the absence of Warner as Gayle blasted an extraordinary 94 off 43 balls in his last T20 visit to the Gabba for Western Australia last season.
"We've got our plans that we've talked about but sometimes with guys like that it doesn't make a difference," Heat all-rounder Dan Christian said.
Brisbane have been boosted by the availability of both their New Zealand recruits with Brendon McCullum joining Daniel Vettori in the line-up.
McCullum will open with Matthew Hayden who remains unsure whether it will be his last match before retiring for the final time.
"I think he should definitely go around next season," Christian said. "He's been fantastic around the group on and off the field."
AAP
Tags: cricket, sport, twenty20, australia, qld, brisbane-4000, sydney-2000, nsw First posted January 17, 2012 11:39:45
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