If it is a century from Chris Gayle, it usually means one of two things. Either he blazes through to the milestone with a barrage of big hits at the start or he makes up for a sluggish beginning with by going bonkers later in his innings. In both cases, he ends up with a superior strike rate immaterial of the start. However, it was a different story that unfolded off Gayle's bat against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Coming into this game against SRH, with all their bowlers possessing an economy rate of less than eight an over, and accounting 23 wickets between them, there was a clear challenge thrown at Kings XI Punjab - whether their power-packed top order would yield the kind of results that it is known for, against a quality bowling attack? That answer came via Gayle's bat but it wasn't the kind of slam-bang solution that is generally associated with him.
The Mohali pitch for this game was unlike the one on offer against CSK, where KXIP were looking good for a 220-plus total but eventually ended up with 197, mainly because they couldn't capitalise on the start provided by Gayle and KL Rahul. In this game, the wicket appeared very tricky - some deliveries kept low and it wasn't coming on to the bat as much as the batsmen would have liked.
Don’t get me wrong. I am happy and proud that West Indian Shai Hope has been honored as one of Wisden’s five Cricketers-of-the-Year, and I hope he grows from strength to strength (pardon the pun). Like he said, it as “humbling and was a bit of a shock when I got the news and obviously a huge privilege being named among the five.” Many are pleasantly shocked too. Hope was selected on the basis of one test-his outstanding performance at Leeds, when he became the first batsman in 127 years of first class cricket at Headingley to score a century in both innings. He made 147 in the first innings and an unbeaten 118 in the second, as West Indies chased down 322 to win by five wickets and level the three-match series 1-1. It was a memorable effort, and one that deserves a place in the history books. But to be named as a Wisden Five? Indeed, prior to the achievement, Hope had only managed a single half-century in 21 previous innings, at an average of 18. His career average is only 33 from 17 Tests and his selection confirms the paucity of talent and class in the present West Indies batting lineup. Unfortunately, gone are the days when Headley, Worrell, Weekes, Walcott, Sobers, Kanhai, Lloyd, Butcher, Richards, Rowe, Kallicharran, Fredericks, Richardson, Greenidge, Haynes, Lara, Gayle, Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Hooper and company dominated bowlers all around the world in the hundreds of innings they played. Perhaps selecting Hope was belated largesse for Wisden ignoring many of these Caribbean giants in their heyday, or being too slow to recognize their achievements.
Big-hitting Andre Russell has been named in the Windies squad for the fundraising T20I against a Rest of the World side, marking the Jamaican's return to international cricket after a doping violation ban. Russell last played for the Windies against India in August 2016 before a whereabouts clause violation under the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) led to his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Besides Russell, the 13-man squad also sees the return for offspinner Ashley Nurse, who played earlier this year in New Zealand, while other first-team regulars Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis and Marlon Samuels were reinstated after missing the series in Pakistan. Denesh Ramdin and Keemo Paul kept their places in the side following encouraging recent form. Interestingly, Jason Mohammed, who captained the side in the three games at Karachi, has been dropped with regular captain Carlos Brathwaite taking over the reins of the side once more.
Windies batting star Chris Gayle has declared himself to be in great shape following an astounding 67 off 33 balls in a four-run win for Kings XI Punjab over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday.
The 38-year-old, who was playing his first game of the season after initially being assigned to the Kings XI reserves, blasted seven fours and four sixes in racing to his half-century off 22 balls. The total was the second fastest to the half-century mark in his IPL career.
KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) — Leading Caribbean academic Professor Sir Hilary Beckles has strongly endorsed Caricom's intervention in the running of West Indies cricket, warning the governance of the game in the region had reached a “perilous state”.
The University of the West Indies vice-chancellor and former Cave Hill Campus Principal Sir Hilary contended the region's political leaders were “duty-bound” in their current efforts at restructuring since “the current system of governance and accountability is not fit for purpose”.
He referenced regional governments as “honest brokers of last resort”, while asserting their right to “to rise to the responsibility of contributing to the restoration of public decency and sustainability in the affairs of our proud cricket nation”.
