Chris Gayle puts West Indies back on map

CHRIS Gayle has done an India.

The country, condemned for its poor attitude to Test cricket, has recently been nominated as its saviour.

With the passionate cricket nation now topping the International Cricket Council Test table, there is an assumption Indian administrators may discover a new-found love for the game.

Although, there is some doubt as to the veracity of reports it will convert part of its one-day series against South Africa into Tests, there is still hope India will attempt to play more five-day games in the future to protect its title.

Gayle, too, was widely criticised on arrival in Australia for his apparent liberal attitude to the demise of the Test after saying he couldn't care less if the long game died.



A number of commentators came off their long run when he was named captain and claimed he was unfit for the post. He was too laidback, didn't show enough respect, embodied all that was wrong with West Indies cricket

Three Tests later Gayle stood on the dais in front of a handful of spectators at the WACA Ground and accepted awards for the man of the match and man of the series.

If you could have done a straw poll of cricket fans they would have told you the West Indian captain had put some excitement into the series and is possibly the man who might lead the side back up the Test rankings.

He has certainly earned the rewards and the plaudits. Gayle led from the front, he was the premier batsman, scoring two centuries- two more than the entire Australian lineup.

His innings on the second day of the third Test will be remembered for years to come and now sits alongside Adam Gilchrist's fearful knock at this ground against England in 2006-07 as one of those that will get talked about in bars.

The six on to the roof of the Lillee-Marsh Stand will get bigger with every retelling, but as the ball went 110m long and almost 40m up it doesn't need too much hyperbole. The look of disappointment on his face when he was dismissed for 102 showed just how much he wanted to carry his side to a competitive position.

Gayle led an aggressive and entertaining pack of cricketers who won hearts in Western Australia when they took to the stage and performed a reggae set at a function.

Gayle has a wicked sense of humour.

In South Australia a young female photographer asked him if he could sit with his knees together while she took the team's picture.

"I'd love to," he said, "but I can't."

She is still blushing.

Yesterday, a journalist said Sulieman Benn had been described as an "unusual character" by the Australians and asked the West Indian captain how he would describe him.

"He's unusual," he replied in that laconic Jamaican drawl.

Gayle has brought some muscle and pride back to West Indies cricket.

He set the example on the field, encouraging his cricketers to attack the former Test champion and show it no deference beyond what an opponent normally demands.

At times lines were crossed by both sides, but the skipper is comfortable with aggression within limits on the field.

He's happy to have a dig and made a pointed reference to returning to beat the world's fourth-best cricket team next time they return to Australia.

(Australia is currently ranked three.)

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has never been a man quick on the phone to order roses for his opponents, but he cast a few petals in Gayle's direction at the series close yesterday.

"I think the important thing for him on this tour is he's actually stood up as a player and played as a captain needs to play," Ponting said.

"I think the second innings in Adelaide showed the way you need to play as a leader, you need to lead from the front, not only with tactical stuff, but you've got to stand up as a player as well.

"And for him to be man of the series, he's led the way for his team on the tour.

"Sometimes that's all you can do and you hope the younger guys sit back and have a look at what you're doing and the way you're going about things and they try to emulate what you've done. So as far as that's concerned he's done a good job with the batting side of things.

"A very inexperienced bowling attack he's had to deal with and at different times I think they've done a reasonable job.

"You'd have to give him some praise, as you can for a lot of their players."

Ponting said he had enjoyed the contest with Gayle's men. "There's been a bit of niggle in this game but there's always going to be that when there's so much on the line and it goes to show a lot about the passion that both teams have been playing with through the series," he said.

Gayle knows the side must improve. It is ranked eighth in the world and has won three of its last 42 Tests.

It's a shocking statistic.

After the game he was praised widely, but was wise enough to put out a few home truths.

"I think people look at us now and think a bit differently, based on how we went about this series, even though we lost 2-0," he said.

"I definitely know from Australia's point of view, we've gained a bit more respect from them. They know it wasn't going to be a pushover and only in the first match did they actually walk over us.

"The fans have been tremendous, both their fans and our own fans as well.

"It's a rebuild situation, there's definitely room for improvement and a situation where you can look at some simple things that cost us the game. So if we can sort that out as quickly as possible, we can definitely have more wins."

Gayle was last seen drinking with the Australian side and soaking in the peace of his new home ground.

He will remain in Western Australia for the Big Bash.