Khawaja can dominate like Clarke: Gayle

Updated December 31, 2012 13:36:11

West Indian powerhouse Chris Gayle believes Sydney Thunder team-mate Usman Khawaja can emulate Michael Clarke's rise to the top of world cricket if he is given another chance in the Test team.

With the imminent retirement of Michael Hussey leaving a sizable gap in Australia's middle order, Khawaja has been thrust back into the spotlight as a proposed replacement.

The 26-year-old left-hander is in fine touch, scoring the third most runs (438) in the Sheffield Shield this summer while also peeling off a crisp, unbeaten 66 in the Thunder's four-wicket loss to the Sydney Sixers in their Big Bash League Twenty20 game on Sunday night.

Khawaja played just six Tests before being unceremoniously dumped for failing to ignite the top order after averaging 29.22, with a top score of 65 in a brief stint peppered with scores in the 20s.

But Thunder teammate Gayle sees a bright future for Khawaja, likening his anticipated Test return to that of captain Clarke, who was dropped in late 2005 only to return and develop into the world's number one batsman.

"He definitely has a bright Test career ahead of him," Gayle said.

"If given the chance, I can't see any reason why he can't score runs and be dominant like a Michael Clarke in the future.

"Once he gets his chance, hopefully he'll make use of it."

Khawaja is on standby for Clarke (hamstring) for the third Test against Sri Lanka at the SCG starting on Thursday, which will be Hussey's last.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted December 31, 2012 13:36:11

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Gayle goes Gangnam-busters to dump Aussies

Updated October 06, 2012 13:38:33

Chris Gayle smashed an unbeaten 75 off 41 balls as the West Indies stormed into the World Twenty20 final with a record 74-run demolition of Australia in Colombo.

The left-hander pounded six sixes and five fours as the Windies piled up the tournament's highest total of 4 for 205 after electing to bat on what was regarded as a slow pitch unsuited to aggressive batting.

The Australians found the huge target too intimidating and folded for 131 in 16.4 overs at the Premadasa stadium in front of 28,000 awe-struck spectators still reeling from the West Indies innings.

The biggest Twenty20 win for the West Indies, surpassing their 70-run victory over Ireland in 2010, was celebrated by the entire team performing an energetic version of global hit "Gangnam Style" in the middle.

Skipper George Bailey played a lone hand for the Aussies, making 63 off 29 balls with four sixes and six boundaries after adding 68 for the seventh wicket with Pat Cummins.

Darren Sammy's men take on hosts Sri Lanka in Sunday's final with both sides looking for their first World Twenty20 title.

"To be honest it was a slow track, but it was important not to panic," said man-of-the-match Gayle.

"I waited for the bad balls and when they came in my slot I hit them. Frankly we did not expect this big a total. We were looking at 140-150, but we got 50 runs as a bonus.

"We had to get the top three Australians early and that helped to win the game."

Bailey admitted Australia was outplayed and the West Indies deserved to be in the final.

"Were we helpless? Probably Chris Gayle can do that to you. When he did go, he went beautifully," Bailey said.

"In hindsight you can do things differently, but the fact is that we just got outplayed.

"There are no excuses. The best team absolutely won the game tonight. There is a gap between your best and worst cricket, and we did not play good cricket at all.

"Anything can happen in this game. You can bowl full tosses and get hit down mid-wicket's throat, or the good ball will go for a six."

Bailey said once his side failed to dismiss Gayle early, they knew they were in danger.

"The plan always was to get Chris out early. His record speaks for itself, so the key is to get him out early," he said.

Asked who will be his favourites to win Sunday's final, Bailey said: "If Sri Lanka can get Gayle out for under 20, they will win. But if they don't, the West Indies will prove too strong.

"With the West Indies attack, you can chase down 160. I am sitting on the fence a bit. But the two best teams got into the final."

Gayle, who lost his opening partner Johnson Charles in the third over, plodded for nine balls to make 4 before swinging Shane Watson for a six over long-off.

That opened the floodgates for an onslaught as Marlon Samuels and Gayle smashed left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty for a six each in one over and Brad Hogg was greeted into the attack with another six from Samuels.

Samuels contributed 26 in a second-wicket stand of 41 with Gayle when he was bowled by Cummins attempting another big hit.

Gayle, who faced just 18 balls in the first 10 overs, still managed to bring up his half-century off 29 deliveries with the help of four sixes and three boundaries.

All-rounder Dwayne Bravo (37) helped Gayle add 83 for the third wicket from just 51 deliveries to propel the innings at a brisk pace.

Kieron Pollard hit 38 off 15 balls as the West Indies plundered 55 runs in the final three overs, including 25 off the last six deliveries by Doherty.

Doherty was the most expensive Australian bowler with 1 for 48 from three overs, while Watson went for 35 runs in four unsuccessful overs.

Australia never recovered after opener David Warner (1) was bowled by spinner Samuel Badree with the sixth delivery and crashed to 6 for 43 by the eighth over.

Badree took two of those wickets and seamer Ravi Rampaul chipped in by removing Cameron White (5) and the recalled David Hussey (0) in the space of three balls.

Pollard dismissed Bailey and Cummins (13) off successive deliveries in the 14th over to end Australia's resistance.

AFP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, sri-lanka, jamaica, australia

First posted October 06, 2012 07:12:13

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Aussies to go hard at Gayle

Updated October 05, 2012 09:40:48

Australia hopes to remove big-hitter Chris Gayle early to put the West Indies under pressure during their World Twenty20 semi-final in Colombo tonight.

The belligerent left-hander holds the key to his team's batting success and Australian captain George Bailey said it was important not to let Gayle settle down at the crease.

"Their (West Indies) batting is no doubt their strength," Bailey said.

"If you can knock Gayle over early it really does put pressure on the rest of their batsmen to step up."

Gayle hit 54 to help West Indies to 8 for 191against Australia in their group match, before Shane Watson scored a 21-ball 41 to steer his team home via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Gayle also smashed 58 during a 103-run opening stand with Johnson Charles to set up a 15-run win over defending champions England in the Super Eights in Pallekele.

But when the opener fell for 2 against Sri Lanka, the West Indies crumbled for a paltry 129 to lose by nine wickets.

Bailey, smarting against the unexpected 32-run defeat by Pakistan, wanted an aggressive attitude by his team against the West Indies bowlers - even if it costs Australia a place in the final.

"I'd rather see us throw caution to the wind. If we get knocked over, we get knocked over," Bailey said and hinted that David Hussey could be back for the semi-final in place of Glenn Maxwell.

"I saw (coach) Mickey Arthur had weighed up those two players and that's probably the only one to be weighed up. But the structure doesn't change in terms of a like-for-like," the captain said.

Australia's four wins in five matches so far in the tournament have been made easier by a sensational all-round display by Watson, who has scored 242 runs and taken 11 wickets.

The West Indies, in contrast, have just two wins from five matches and need to lift their game if they are to stop Australia from making its second successive World Twenty20 final.

Skipper Darren Sammy insisted his team's success did not hinge on Gayle alone.

"It's not only about Chris," said Sammy.

"Obviously he sets the momentum for us at the top of the order. But to win the game, it will need a total team effort.

"In any cricket match, you get one individual doing something brilliant. But it will take a collective effort to win the semi-final."

Sammy predicted a close game with the result depending on who wins the key moments in the game.

"It could be a spectacular catch somewhere, or guys out in the middle making the right decision at a crucial time," he said. "I think the team that wins at the end of the day is the team that will make less mistakes.

"But it's two evenly matched teams and it promises to be an exciting game."

AFP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, australia

First posted October 05, 2012 09:40:48

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Roach and Gayle lead Windies to victory

Updated July 30, 2012 07:09:13

The pace of Kemar Roach and the confidence of Chris Gayle led West Indies to a nine-wicket victory in the first of its two-Test series against struggling New Zealand in Antigua.

Roach took 5 for 60 with a fine spell of pace bowling which ripped the heart out of New Zealand's middle order before Gayle, who struck 150 in the first innings, eased the Caribbean side to its target of 102 with a solid, unbeaten 64.

It was just the third win for West Indies in 34 Tests since its victory over England in Jamaica in February 2009.

New Zealand's hopes of batting out the day, or at least setting the hosts a challenging target came undone with West Indies seamers Roach and Ravi Rampaul doing the damage.

Resuming on 3 for 199, after losing Brendon McCullum for 84 late on Saturday, the Kiwis lost two crucial wickets for just 27 runs before lunch.

After a short rain break, paceman Roach trapped Ross Taylor (21) lbw and then clean bowled Kane Williamson with a superb delivery that straightened and removed the right-hander's off stump.

The impressive Roach struck again shortly after lunch with the third delivery of the new ball, luring Neil Wagner into an edge to keeper Denesh Ramdin.

Rampaul then removed Dean Brownlie and Daniel Vettori, before spinner Sunil Narine claimed his eighth wicket of the match by trapping Doug Bracewell leg-before.

Kruger van Wyk had provided the only real resistance but stuck with number eleven Chris Martin he had to go for his shots and was undone by a lovely slower ball from Roach.

The total of 272 all out left West Indies with a comfortable target of just 102 to win and plenty of time to get it.

Its first Test win since beating Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2011 was never in doubt as Gayle took charge with Kieran Powell, who made 30 before he was caught by Brownlie off Bracewell.

Assad Fudadin accompanied Gayle to the finish line as West Indies enjoyed the rare taste of victory and handed New Zealand another painful loss after its defeat in the one-day series.

"We didn't look like creating enough pressure at times," skipper Ross Taylor said.

"We have to be smarter in the way we play, bowl in better areas and our batsmen have to spend a lot of time at the crease," he said, looking ahead to the second Test in Jamaica, which starts on Thursday.

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy said Gayle had made the perfect return to Test cricket after 19 months out during a dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board.

"With Chris back, he brings his experience and you could see that in the way he nurtured Kieran Powell along to his first test century," Sammy said.

"We have to just keep our focus in this series and look to repeat what we did," he added.

Reuters

Tags: sport, cricket, antigua-and-barbuda

First posted July 30, 2012 07:09:13

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Gayle, Afridi sign with Thunder

Updated July 23, 2012 16:30:14

Sydney Thunder have signed two of the biggest trump cards in Twenty20 cricket for the Big Bash League with Chris Gayle returning and Shahid Afridi making the switch to Homebush.

After recruiting mainly young local talent at the start of the signing window, the Thunder have brought in the star power with Gayle and Afridi - two of the great entertainers in world cricket.

West Indies powerhouse Gayle starred with the bat for the Thunder last season, while Pakistani all-rounder Afridi finished amongst the league's top-10 wicket-takers playing for the Melbourne Renegades in 2011-12.

They will add some much needed presence to the Thunder line-up as proven match-winners.

Gayle's unbeaten century off just 54 deliveries, including 11 sixes, clinched a win for the Thunder over Adelaide last year and was a season highlight.

He scored 252 runs for the Thunder averaging 42 and hit the most sixes in the BBL with 22.

Gayle is arguably the best T20 player there has been and coach Shane Duff is delighted to have him back in lime green.

"Along with David Warner, Chris Gayle is the best T20 player in the world, and I am sure the fans of Sydney Thunder will be excited to come to ANZ Stadium to watch him play again. For many of the players it will be a unique experience to play in the same team and have the chance to learn from the great man," said Duff.

Gayle said he always planned to return to the western Sydney team.

"I love Sydney, so I cannot wait to get amongst the guys again," he said.

Like Gayle, Afridi is vastly experienced in the short form of the game, having played 110 matches.

The mercurial talent can win games with either bat or ball and is looking forward to playing for the Thunder.

"I was approached by a few teams in the BBL and opted for Sydney Thunder as I feel there is a real drive and passion to be successful this time around, and this is something I want to be part of," said Afridi.

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted July 23, 2012 16:24:10

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Gayle inspires as Windies take command

Updated July 28, 2012 13:26:35

Chris Gayle marked his return to five-day cricket by hitting 150 as the West Indies moved past New Zealand's 351 all out on the third day of the opening Test in Antigua to build up a healthy lead.

At the close, the hosts were 6 for 442 - a lead of 91 - with Gayle and Kieran Powell both hitting centuries before Assad Fudadun and Narsingh Deonarine weighed in with half centuries to give the home side a solid edge as the Black Caps struggled even given some swing from the new ball.

Deonarine was still there on 54 with skipper Darren Sammy on eight after Fudadin fell to the bowling of Williamson for 55.

Gayle, who was playing his first Test for more than 18 months due to his stand-off with the West Indies Cricket Board following comments he made about officials in a radio interview, smacked 17 boundaries and four sixes as he made his mark in a 206-ball inning before falling to the bowling of Kane Williamson.

The 32-year-old enabled the hosts to put on 254 for the first wicket alongside Kieran Powell before Brendon McCullum took the catch in the deep.

Earlier, Gayle had brought up his 14th Test ton by smashing Chris Martin for six over mid-wicket, having earlier hit four successive boundaries off the same bowler.

Powell also made a century pull to the boundary through square leg off Neil Wagner before going caught behind for 134 including 22 boundaries and a six of 288 deliveries as Wagner bagged his first Test wicket.

But the West Indies carried on regardless of having its openers back in the pavilion as Fudadin and Samuels took them through to 2 for 352 at tea, a run ahead.

Martin Guptill laid the foundation for what appeared a solid first innings score for the Black Caps with a spirited 97 but spinner Sunil Narine took a maiden five-wicket haul, finishing with five for 132, to undermine the tourists.

Gayle and Powell then set the stage for an exciting denouement.

West Indies has dominated the tourists so far this summer, taking the Twenty20 series 2-0 in which Gayle was awarded man of the series, and the ODI series 4-1 in which Gayle made an aggressive century and half-century.

AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, antigua-and-barbuda

First posted July 28, 2012 08:45:18

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Gayle ready to end exile against England

Updated June 15, 2012 14:15:10

Chris Gayle is set to put more than a year in the international wilderness behind him when West Indies face England in the opening match of their one-day series at Southampton on Saturday.

Gayle has an impressive one-day record, with over 8,000 runs in 228 one-day internationals, including 19 hundreds at an average of nearly 40.

But it is the manner in which the Jamaican left-hander bats that has made him one of cricket's biggest box-office draws.

Indeed when it was confirmed Gayle had made his peace with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), ticket sales for Saturday's match quickened to the extent of ensuring a near-capacity 14,000 crowd.

At his best, the 32-year-old opener and former West Indies captain is a ferocious, if essentially orthodox, hitter who is capable of driving the world's fastest bowlers straight back over their heads for six.

A strike-rate of 83.95 is testament to Gayle's attacking approach, yet until Wednesday's warm-up match against Middlesex at Lord's he had not played for the West Indies for some 15 months since its World Cup quarter-final defeat by Pakistan in Dhaka.

Criticisms of coach Ottis Gibson and senior Caribbean cricket officials led to Gayle's exile by the WICB.

However, a meeting earlier this month between the WICB, selectors and Gayle, brokered by Ralph Gonsalves, the Prime Minister of St Vincent, and Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua, saw him restored to the squad.

Gayle is well aware that, after such intervention, expectations will be high.

But a couple of sixes in a brisk 34 against Middlesex, where he also took two wickets with his off-spin, suggested his skills had been undimmed during an absence where Gayle has cashed in on his talent in the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League.

"I'm human, so I felt a bit nervous," he said.

"But now I'm really looking forward to the first ODI game. I'll be in a better state of mind.

"Everything has been rectified (with Gibson and the board), we are all here as one and our main objective is to try to contribute to West Indies cricket."

Gibson added: "Gayle is the best one-day batsman in the world. He has fitted in well and is raring to go."

West Indies, which lost a three-match Test series against England 2-0 earlier this week after a rain-marred draw at Edgbaston, have long believed the three 50-over internationals on this tour provide its best chance of victory.

A confident Gibson, a former England bowling coach, said: "At the start of the tour I said the one-day series provides us with our best chance of success and we still believe that.

"We believe we have got a great chance of winning games in this series."

As well as Gayle, West Indies, who will again be captained by Darren Sammy, has been bolstered by the arrival of all-rounders Dwayne Smith, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell.

While the West Indies have welcomed back their biggest drawcard, England has lost one of its in Kevin Pietersen after the star batsman retired from all white-ball international cricket when the management denied him his wish to opt out of the 50-over game while still playing Twenty20s.

Ian Bell is set to take the opener's space vacated by Pietersen with all-rounder Ravi Bopara, who missed the Tests through injury, pushing for an England recall in a one-day side again led by his Essex colleague Alastair Cook.

"I think it's really sad he won't be playing all three forms of the game," said England coach Andy Flower of Pietersen.

"He's in incredible form -- technically, he's excellent."

But he insisted Bell was capable of filling the gap, as long as he played his own game.

"We don't want him to do a similar job to Pietersen, we want him to be Ian Bell and play great international cricket."

AFP

Tags: sport, cricket, united-kingdom, england

First posted June 15, 2012 14:15:10

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Gayle return put on hold

Updated June 16, 2012 20:25:21

Chris Gayle's return to international cricket was delayed on Saturday after the powerful West Indies batsman was ruled out of the first one-day international against England at the Rose Bowl in Southampton with a foot injury.

Gayle, 32, was set to make his first appearance for the side since last year's World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

He had been unavailable for selection after falling out with West Indies Cricket Board.

England batsman Ian Bell was passed fit to play and will open the batting, despite suffering a suspected fracture jaw in training.

Bell required 10 stitches after being struck when batting in the nets on Friday.

West Indies won the toss and elected to field in the opening fixture of the three-match series.

Reuters

Tags: cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom

First posted June 16, 2012 20:25:21

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Gayle must accept 'hardworking' culture: Sammy

Updated May 04, 2012 07:58:31

West Indies captain Darren Sammy has said Chris Gayle must conform to the "hardworking" culture in the current national set-up.

Gayle has not played for the West Indies since the 2011 World Cup after being caught in an argument with the team's cricket board.

In Gayle's absence, Sammy led his side to draws in the Twenty20 and One-Day International series with Australia before being very competitive in a 2-0 loss in the Test series.

While, Sammy and coach Ottis Gibson both welcome Gayle's return, the skipper says Gayle needs to be fully committed to the cause.

"The Chris Gayle issue has been going on for a while but we as a team have moved on and as you could see the last series we played we came out with a new attitude: where we are not going to let anybody keep us down," Sammy said.

"We are going to strive to move forward. When Chris joins the set-up, he will be coming into a very hardworking environment in which he has to fit in."

Gayle's return to the fold comes too late to be part of the three-Test series in England but he is certain to be part of the one-day series that follows.

"It is great to hear that Chris is available again. I'm sure the selectors will pick him, because he is world-class," Gibson said.

"If he's made himself available for the one-day series, I can't see him not being selected."

Tags: sport, cricket, jamaica

First posted May 04, 2012 06:54:16

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Bravo in, Gayle out for Aussie tour

Updated March 02, 2012 13:31:27

All-rounder Dwayne Bravo could bring his nine-month international cricket exile to an end next month against Australia after being selected for a West Indies training camp.

But explosive opener Chris Gayle has again been overlooked as his dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) continues.

Bravo's last game for the West Indies was a one-day international against India in June 2011, but was overlooked by selectors for the tour of Bangladesh in October and then suffered an ankle injury.

But the 28-year-old has proven his fitness in recent months playing Twenty20 cricket in Australia for the Sydney Sixers, in the West Indies with Trinidad and Tobago and most recently for the Chittagong Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Bravo's globe-trotting has been rewarded with him being chosen as one of 13 non-contracted players to join 17 contracted cricketers for a two-week camp in Barbados which ends on March 12.

The West Indies squad to play Australia in five ODIs and two T20 internationals will be picked from those 30 players.

Gayle, who also played this summer's Big Bash League in Australia at the Sydney Thunder, has not featured for the West Indies since last year's World Cup after a fallout with the WICB.

But the 32-year-old might be back in contention for selection for the three Tests starting on April 7 in Barbados after a board meeting in St Lucia last weekend.

One of the resolutions of the board meeting was for WICB president Julian Hunte to arrange a meeting with Jamaican prime minister Portia Simpson-Miller to discuss "matters pertaining to cricket in Jamaica and the West Indies and Chris Gayle".

It is not the first time the board have held talks relating to Gayle, however, and even face-to-face meetings with the batsman have failed to provide a resolution to the dispute.

The first one-day international of Australia's tour will be held in St Vincent on March 16.

The 17 contracted players are: Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, Nelon Pascal, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford and Devon Thomas.

The 13 additional players under consideration: Samuel Badree, Tino Best, Nkrumah Bonner, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Shane Dowrich, Danza Hyatt, Garey Mathurin, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Krishmar Santokie and Dwayne Smith.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, barbados

First posted March 02, 2012 13:30:26

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Whisk Warner back into Big Bash, says Gayle

Updated January 17, 2012 11:39:45

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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Gayle set for Somerset stint

Updated January 13, 2012 11:25:27

Sydney Thunder star Chris Gayle will play for Somerset in England's domestic Twenty20 competition, the county club said Thursday.

Opening batsman Gayle is one of the most powerful hitters in the game and he has proved especially adept in cricket's shortest format, with his 117 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2007 the highest individual score in all Twenty20 internationals.

Gayle has also impressed in the T20 Big Bash League for the Sydney Thunder as well as in the Indian Premier League.

The 32-year-old, who bats left-handed but bowls right-arm off-spin, is set to fill the gap caused by the absence of West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who will be away on international duty when Somerset look to go one better after losing last season's Twenty20 final to Leicestershire.

Gayle has not played international cricket since last year's World Cup following a row with West Indies Cricket Board officials.

In a Somerset statement, Gayle said: "I am delighted to be heading to Somerset this summer, they are a great club and hopefully I can make a key contribution to their T20 campaign this year."

The west country club's director of cricket, Brian Rose, added: "Chris is a tremendously exciting player and one of the people who would get into any World T20 XI.

"Chris is a tremendous all-rounder; his batting is outstanding, he bowls and can open the attack with his off-spinners and he is also a brilliant fielder, so we are absolutely delighted."

AFP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, jamaica, england

First posted January 13, 2012 07:43:16

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Ton-up Gayle tears Strikers apart

Updated December 23, 2011 23:53:19

Chris Gayle effortlessly crunched a record-breaking century to lift the Sydney Thunder to a six-wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers in Friday night's Big Bash League clash at the Olympic stadium.

Gayle made light work of the Strikers' total of 8 for 155, thumping 11 sixes - the most in a single T20 innings on Australian soil - to finish 100 not out off 54 balls and wrap up the win for the hosts with nine balls to spare.

"I was a bit nervous but once I hit a few balls and got that first boundary, then things got a bit easier," West Indies star Gayle said.

"To be honest I don't even know how many sixes I hit.

"It was a good innings and I can't complain."

There was no shortage of power in Gayle's thunderous strokeplay - but this was not the stereotypical match-winning Twenty20 knock.

In true Gayle style, it was cool. Very cool.

Gayle was never flustered and could never be accused of bashing; instead it was all about timing and panache as he sweetly sent the ball deep into the stands.

He also rotated the strike with aplomb and was never in a hurry.

There is a reason why most BBL franchises wanted the 32-year-old on their books, and the Gayle effect was in full display on Friday.

Although it was not always pretty.

When the Thunder's run-rate sagged in the 14th over, the crowd of 11,337 started to boo Craig Philipson for not getting Gayle on strike.

There threatened to be a late twist when Philipson was bowled by Aaron O'Brien, reducing the hosts to 4 for 100 and a required run-rate of almost 10 in the 15th over.

But Gayle held firm.

Four balls later, he planted a six off O'Brien over long on, and continued to march towards the Australian record for most sixes in a T20 dig, bringing up his ton off 53 balls with a pulled single on the leg side.

O'Brien, who finished with figures of 3 for 26, was in awe.

"It was pretty special wasn't it? There's not much I can say - it was just one of those innings," he said.

Usman Khawaja scored 15 in his first hit-out since being left out of the Boxing Day Test squad, with national selector Andy Bichel amongst the spectators.

The result means the Thunder join Hobart as the only undefeated sides in the BBL, with the Gayle's heroics following David Warner's stunning century last week against the Melbourne Stars.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, adelaide-5000, sa

First posted December 23, 2011 22:32:10

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Gayle watches a shot race away

Royal Challengers player Chris Gayle plays a shot during the IPL Twenty20 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kochi Tuskers Kerala at The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on May 8, 2011. Gayle's 16-ball 44 included four sixes and three fours in one 37-run over, including a no-ball.

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, india

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Windies forced me to chose IPL: Gayle

Posted April 21, 2011 08:20:00

Explosive batsman Chris Gayle claims he was frozen out by the West Indies Cricket Board and was left with no option but to choose the money-spinning IPL over national team duty.

The former captain said he was forced to accept an offer to play for the Royal Challengers Bangalore because he was not sure about his place in the West Indies team, following his axing for the opening matches of Pakistan's tour.

West Indies officials reacted angrily to Gayle's decision, and said they were less than pleased with the manner in which the he handled the situation.

They begrudgingly gave him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in the IPL.

But a few hours later Gayle blasted the WICB in a revealing radio interview from India.

He said after getting injured during the World Cup, he paid all expenses for medical treatment in Britain before returning home to Jamaica, where he took it upon himself to commence a rehabilitation program with his personal trainer.

"A group of players were selected for a training camp in Barbados, and I never got a call, nobody spoke to me, and I decided to leave it alone," an emotional Gayle said in an hour-long interview on Jamaican radio station, KLAS Sports.

"I continued my training program, and I came to find out via the media that a Twenty20 squad was announced, and a one-day International squad was announced, and I was stunned when I saw a big headline in the newspapers, 'Gayle, Sarwan, Chanderpaul dropped'."

Gayle said he was puzzled because no WICB official had actually called to check-up on him.

He felt the least they could have done was to call him to the training camp at the West Indies High Performance Centre in Bridgetown, and assess his fitness before making a decision about the team.

"The only communication I have had with anyone connected with the WICB was when I sent a text message to (team physio) CJ Clark, and gave him an update about how I was doing," he said.

"I told him I was feeling good, the progress I was making, I was running, I was in the gym, and working. His only response was that he would send a fitness program, which I did not receive until the IPL offer had presented itself."

He continued: "I wanted to get back on track as quickly as possible. I wanted to play and represent West Indies.

"This was my ultimate goal, since I did not have a contract, but I was forced into this decision because teams were picked, I was not informed about what was happening, and I did not know what the future would hold.

"The matches could be played, and other players do well, and I could still be sitting on the sidelines, so I had no other choice."

Gayle said when he requested the NOC from the WICB, there was a hive of activity, and correspondence from various officials was coming left, right, and centre.

"All of a sudden, everybody got energy, and they were trying to contact me," he said.

"As much as I wanted to play for West Indies, they left me with no choice.

"I have served West Indies for many years, but I was disrespected a lot, and I have been playing under a lot of pressure."

Pakistan will play one Twenty20, five ODIs and two Tests against West Indies during its tour which starts on Thursday.

The WICB, who said that so far a national squad had only been named for the T20 and first two ODIs, was "most disappointed" at Gayle's conduct.

"The WICB does not accept Gayle's reason for making himself unavailable but as he has already clearly made his choice and has travelled to India, the WICB does not wish to stand in his way," it said in a press release.

-AFP

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