Gayle will be back in Aus for first Test
Sun, Nov 22, '09
From DigicelCricket.com
Late Saturday evening West Indies captain Chris Gayle Saturday confirmed that following the discharge of his mother from hospital, he will return to Australia to lead the Caribbean side in the first Test at the Gabba.
Gayle’s mother – Heazlyn Gilroy – was discharged from the Medical Associates Hospital in Kingston on Saturday evening and the 30 year old hard hitting opening batsman immediately made plans to depart Jamaica on Monday for Australia via Los Angeles, USA. The opening Test is slated to commence on Thursday November 26th and he will arrive in Queensland on Tuesday.
“(Her discharge) is the best news anyone could get, these situations are very scary and I give God thanks to have her back home. It is a tremendous feeling and the family is now at ease,” Gayle told DigicelCricket.com shortly after chauffeuring his mother from the hospital to her home.
Gayle left the squad in Australia on Wednesday to be with his mother who took ill and had to be hospitalized. He missed the West Indies lone warm up match against Queensland which ended in a draw.
On Saturday afternoon doctors attending to Gilroy had informed Gayle that she would be discharged on Sunday but subsequently told him that given her improved condition she would be discharged that evening.
"I want to thank my teammates and the team management for the support they gave me and I also want to thank WIPA (West Indies Players Association), WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) and all the fans for their prayers and best wishes,” a clearly relieved Gayle said.
"I am really happy that my mom is back home and that she is able to move around and also that she is in good spirits. I now want to focus on handling business in Australia and fulfilling my obligations to the team,” said Gayle who has 82 Test matches under his belt.
Gayle said he was particularly grateful to the doctors and nurses at Medical Associates for the care and treatment they afforded his mother and confided that it was a very traumatic period for him.
The West Indies team unit will be delighted by the good news of their leader’s planned return especially since their batting – of which he is a vital element – struggled against Queensland, being dismissed for 271 in the first innings.