'I Take Full Blame for Gayle Issue'

Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) president, Jackie Hendriks has taken "full responsibility" for not "properly guiding" West Indies opener Chris Gayle prior to his ill-starred decision to play in a festive double wicket competition instead of representing Jamaica in the final of the regional Carib Beer Series, nearly two months ago.

"I think it should have been made clear to the young player that his first responsibility was to play (in the final of the Carib Beer International Series) for his country," Hendriks told delegates attending the annual general meeting of the Jamaica Cricket Association at Sabina Park late Wednesday.

"I take full responsibility ... I think he (Gayle) should have been properly guided...," Hendriks, who was returned unopposed as president of the JCA at Wednesday's meeting, added.

Gayle's decision to play in the US$175,000 double wicket tournament as former West Indies captain Carl Hooper's partner, instead of playing for Jamaica in the Carib Beer final, led to an investigation by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) regarding his eligibility to represent the West Indies under existing rules.

The 23 year-old opener was cleared -- on an interim basis at first and then fully -- by the WICB but was nonetheless controversially left out of the West Indies team for the first two Cable and Wireless Tests against Australia by the Sir Vivian Richards-led selection committee.

Though no official explanation ever came from the regional selectors, it is widely believed that their decision stemmed directly from their disappointment at Gayle's decision to play in the cash-rich festival tournament instead of for his country.

Gayle, who was reinstated for the last two games of the four-Test series against Australia and has played in all five games of the one-day international series so far, apologised for his action.

He explained that he thought the double wicket tournament had the full sanction of the WICB.

Jamaica captain Robert Samuels and manager Lyndel Wright also suggested at the time that they believed Gayle "was playing under the umbrella of the West Indies..." at the double wicket tournament.

Pressed by questions from delegates at Wednesday's meeting, Hendriks said he and the Jamaica management team had made a "mistake" in dealing with the Gayle issue but had learnt valuable lessons for the future.

"I think we should have taken a stronger line...," said the JCA president. "I think we should have guided the youngster, pointing out that his first duty was to Jamaica ... I think in future we need to take the strong view...," added Hendriks.

And in a brief response to questions from the floor, Jamaica manager Wright, who was himself returned as a member of the Jamaica Cricket Board, revealed that the Gayle issue was actually discussed before the Jamaica team departed for the semifinal of the Carib Beer international series in late March.

Gayle, he said, had informed team members and management that he would not be available for the final because he had been "selected" for a double-wicket tournament.

Placing what he described as the "unfortunate situation" in context, Hendriks reminded delegates that the clash of dates between the Carib Beer final and the St Lucia double wicket tournament only arose because the WICB made a late change to the Carib Beer fixtures in order to facilitate India "A" who arrived in the Caribbean a week late.