IPL Betting: Hired gun Chris Gayle is back

Indian Premier League - IPL / Frank Gregan / 05 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Chris Gayle is a hired gun these days, pictured here playing in the Australian T20 competition, the Big Bash.

"The winners in all this will be the Bangalore Royal Challengers who have now secured the services of the big hitting bat-for-hire on a permanent basis."

Despite a few issues concerning Yuvraj Singh's replacement as skipper of Pune, the IPL field has been finalised. Chris Gayle is back for the Royal Challengers Bangalore but a return to international cricket for him still seems unlikley at the moment.

There's a month to go before the Indian Premier League gets underway and for a tournament that enjoys every bell and whistle that it can lay it's hand on, the build up to IPL5 has been very subdued. It's been a political affair dominated by the dispute between Sahara India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Sahara India are the owners of the Pune franchise and a major sponsor of Indian cricket but it looked as if they were about to walk away from the sport.

The spat now appears to be done and dusted with Pune's inclusion in IPL5. The row centred around the replacement of their skipper Yuvraj Singh, who is having treatment in the US for a lung tumour. But the issue has now been resolved and Sahara has re-established itself as Team India's sponsor. Pune's inclusion means that nine teams will compete in IPL5 over an eight week period which makes one heck of a dent in the world cricketing calendar.

During IPL5, there are a number of international series including Australia touring the West Indies and at the back end of the tournament the West Indies being hosted by England. Three of the West Indian stars - Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle are already lined up for IPL5 - and have been joined by Marlon Samuels, who has recently signed for Pune.

It looks set to come down to the old chestnut of club (or franchise in this case) V country. The WICB does have control, No Objection Certificates are required for participation. But a bit like a bar tab at the local, refusal often offends and after the Chris Gayle fiasco the board will be eager to keep their stars sweet whilst still fielding a competitive international team. Compromise looks like being the buzz word that will be filling their press releases as they try to avoid more bitter arguments.

The ruck between Gayle and the WICB has dragged on and on and looks no nearer to a conclusion than it did a year ago. He has been left out of the 30 man squad which will take part in a fitness and training camp in Barbados before the arrival of the Australians.

It now seems so long it's easy to forget what started it all. It was a radio interview that Gayle gave after another disappointing World Cup campaign, which he used to let rip at both the WICB and coach Ottis Gibson. The WICB have made it quite clear that all Chris has to do is apologise for his remarks and the slate will be clean, but so far he has refused to do so.

The winners in all this will be the Bangalore Royal Challengers who have now secured the services of the big hitting bat-for-hire on a permanent basis. Gayle, along with the Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith Malinga, were the stars of last year's event and if the big West Indian shines again then his franchise could win their first IPL title.

The Chargers have reached two of the four previous finals and at odds of [7.0] to win the tournament look set to give their followers a run for their money. Chennai Super Kings who are aiming to secure their third successive title head the field at [4.6] closely followed by the Delhi Daredevils (who have yet to reach a final) at [6.9].

Chris Gayle's mind today is likely to be focussed on something other than cricket. The passing of his friend, former West Indian batsman Runako Morton, should serve as a reminder to him that life's too short for petty squabbles. If Gayle wants to chase the buck rather than represent his country that's fine but if he wants the best of both worlds then he has to accept he's not bigger than the game and eat a bit of humble pie. International cricket will be better with Chris Gayle on the inside.

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West Indies Cricket: Gayle exlusion has kicked up a huge storm

Bat and ball / Frank Gregan / 02 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

World-beater and nightmare to have to manage, we give you the inimitable Chris Gayle

"Mr Hilaire is of course correct but the trouble is, they've been trying to make it work that way for the last 15 years. They been indulging the players to the detriment of West Indian cricket. If they are going to sort it out they have to bite the bullet and accept it's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. "

The West Indian Cricket Board has decided that enough is enough and that the likes of maverick trio Chris Gayle, Shiv Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan are no longer part of their short-term plans. But how did it get this bad to start with, asks Frank Gregan.

Jack the Lads, the loveable rogues that push the boundaries and test the patience of sporting coaches and authority are time and time again given the benefit of the doubt. Mainly because they are special athletes, but also because we all admire their cockiness.

I've heard some incredible excuses in dressing rooms throughout the years. It's no good using these excuses in a one-to-one interview, they have to be witnessed by team-mates. A footballer I was once working with didn't want to travel to an away game with the squad whilst suspended and argued without a shred of embarrassment that he couldn't fly on an internal UK flight because he couldn't provide photographic ID.

"My driving licence is the old paper one, no photo." he told the Boss.
"So what about your passport?" was the logical reply.

Quick as a flash and without a shred of embarrassment he produced a riposte even an eleven year schoolkid would have considered pathetic and inadequate, "The dog ate my passport!" It might have been a great laugh and it certainly lightened the mood in the dressing room but it was a line in the sand.

The coach could either stand his ground and rule authoritatively or he could choose the easy route and avoid a confrontation by giving the player the weekend off. He chose the latter and once again, Jack the Lad had been indulged and the boundaries pushed but much more importantly, a case of 'one rule for one and one rule for others' had been applied.

It seems that the West Indian Cricket Board who have been indulging their better players for ages have finally reached the end of their tether with their Jack the Lads. Chris Gayle is an exceptional talent and he has proven, particularly in the shorter versions of the game, that he can single-handedly win matches. But diplomacy and respect for authority have never been Gayle's strong suit and and he gives the impression that he can 'take it or leave it' as far as playing for the West Indies is concerned.

Gayle and two other former skippers, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwen, may just have met their match in WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire, who seems to be ready to lock horns with the big names and the strong characters. Hilaire has let the West Indian supporters know the reasons why he thinks it's necessary.

"If you look at West Indies cricket since the mid 1990s a lot of the systems we had in place broke down. There's no discipline. There's no application. No one man is bigger than the team, no one man is such a superstar that he can decide if he is training today, if he is having treatment tomorrow, if he is going to attend a team meeting. It cannot work that way."

Mr Hilaire is of course correct but the trouble is, they've been trying to make it work that way for the last 15 years. They been indulging the players to the detriment of West Indian cricket. If they are going to sort it out they have to bite the bullet and accept it's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.

The role models of the new generation of West Indian cricketers have been thumbing their noses at authority for years, leading the current crop to believe it's the norm. Gayle, Chanderpaul and Sarwan's boots might take some filling but for the sake of West Indian cricket they need to be filled by players who put the team before themselves.

Chris Gayle showed the WICB what they were missing when he scored a superb ton on his return to the IPL with the Bangalore Royal Challengers. Gayle and his team-mates sit on the fringes of the top four in the IPL and are a tempting [7.0] to lift the trophy. As far as Ernest Hilaire and his board are concerned, Gayle's absence is a case of short term pain for long term gain. Let's hope the pain doesn't last another 15 years!

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