It was sheer delight to watch Chris Gayle’s performance for Western Australia’s Warriors (Vs Queensland at the Gabba, Brisbane) in the KFC Big Bash tournament ten days ago. Bless the live telecast! With the ICC ODI World Cup about a fortnight away, Chris’s form would have gladdened many hearts back in the West Indies. Has somebody uploaded it on YouTube? The last one I saw was on www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNVezWpClVo
Chris Gayle literally set the Gabba ablaze. Consider these statistics:
· 92 Runs off 40 balls; that is a strike rate of 230 percent!
· 7 Fours and 8 Sixes; this helped raise $ 11,500/- for the Queensland Flood Appeal courtesy of a Local Brewery
o Of these, four sixes and two fours came in one over! Even better than the six fours, that he dispatched off Hoggard’s bowling at the Oval in 2004!
· One Six went up 120 Meters!
· He would have added a tally of wickets if those dropped catches were taken!
o Yet, Chris showed his usual cool pan-face
Since his advent on the cricketing scene at the age of 19 (he turned 31 on September 21st 2010), Chris has delighted cricket fans all over the world. ‘Mr.Cool’ and ‘Cramps’, as he is often called, has many a record to his credit. As a batsman, he has an enviable record of Centuries: 13 in Tests (2 triple centuries & 1 double century), 19 in ODIs (4 against India) and 1 in T20s. This includes three 150s in ODIs; one of the five players in the history of the game to have done so! He won the ‘Man of the Match’ award on several occasions; the one at the Gabba was special
As Gayle chased runs, sadly, controversy often chased him. Dubbed ‘languid’ and ‘a busted flush’, Chris has bounced back with powerful brutal strokes of his bat. He answered eloquently with about 5,850 runs in Tests, 7,750 runs in ODIs and 11,500 runs in First Class matches: all at an average of over 40! Add to that, the wickets that he has taken with his slow wily spin bowling: 71 in Tests and 153 in ODIs. In the IPL tournament, Chris has delighted us as a key player for the KKR team; in the early version, KKR paid a record price for him. Of course, the recent round of bids makes this ‘record’ seem small!
I am looking forward to seeing the calm Chris in action in the ensuing ICC 2011 tournament. Chris loves to play in the Indian sub-continent. We are bound to witness stormy Gales from Gayle!
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