Ode to Six hitting Chris Gayle !! - what a power !!

High on alcohol and tizzy with his perceived fame, SRK got in to a brawl after KKR beat MI  - only recently, he had been in US at Yale University at the invitation of the owner of the team defeated on that day.  The cine popularity is so high that MPs are speaking about it, stating that ‘a person of fame has to be treated properly (even if here were not to)’.    Couple of photos show him with fists closed gesture and the verbatim in Indian Express states ‘will bury you here’…..

On the field, this extraordinary man’s  first 19 balls produced only 15, his first 32 only 37.-  but more was in store which everyone feared and the fears only got increased as the next  18-ball span he  scored 61 to get to 99. He hit 90 off the last 28 balls of his innings.

A gale is a strong wind  -  On the Beaufort Wind Scale,  there are differential classifications – Moderate, Fresh, Strong and Whole gale – only one thing is certain – when it blows, it blows with a force capable of uprooting all that stands in the way……….   In T20 terms, the numbers prove he is so  way ahead of the competition, that none matches him closer in any way.  When batsmen struggle to make runs, he had so far made 127 sixes in IPL at a rate of 3.1 per innings – awesome  !!

That is  Christopher Henry Gayle, hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, aged 32 years.  Sad that he plays for almost all Teams at all parts of World, which include Kolkatta Knight Riders (earlier) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (now); Barisal Burners (Bangladesh); Standord Superstars / Western Australia; Worcestershire (signed up for Somerset) – but, …… but – is not in the scheme of things for West Indies…….. yes the man who can change the fortunes of Island cricket team, is not an integral part.  He made his debut in Mar 2000 (Test); Sept 1999 (ODI); 2006 (T20) and  last played Test in 2010; ODI in Mar 2011; May 2010 (T20)

There is news that he has broken his contract with Somerset to be available to play for the Nation, an  agreement having been  brokered by the Prime minster of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) last month, which ended a year-long impasse with the WICB.  Gayle had stated that he broke the county contract to honour his commitment to WI cricket and fans.   Whether that would make the Captain Darren Sammy happy or otherwise is not known.   The conflict with Captain, Coach Gibson and the Board has kept Gayle away in exile for sometime now.  

On 17^th May 2012, it was carnage at Ferozeshah Kotla as Chris Gayle kept hitting them into stands and one went 110M and all looked so simple.  His 62 ball 128 destroyed any hopes Delhi Daredevils would have nurtured.  He hit 13 sixes and took the match away from DDR – all were hit with ridiculous ease – and remained calm, which baffled, bemused and bewildered the opponents.  

So what is in store – just as we keep asking what would be limit to expect from Sachin after the monumental 100^th ton – you keep expecting that every ball soars back over the ropes when bowled to Chris Gayle…

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.