http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CH-Gayle-c1221’s Test return excites skipper Darren Sammy – Cricket News Update
Excited at Chris Gayle’s return to the Test arena, the West Indies skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 in the first
Test of the two-match series, at Antigua on Wednesday, July 25.
While speaking to media reporters ahead of the Test series opener, Sammy admitted that opening position has been a cause for concern for them of late, and hoped return of the Jamaican hard-hitter at the top of the order would
end their struggle against new ball.
“It's very exciting. I know he's looking forward to being back in white clothes as well,” Sammy told reporters after a practice session in Antigua.
“Our opening position has been a spot of bother for us, but with the experience [of Gayle] back there hopefully we can see off the new ball and put a good total on the board,” he added further.
Chris Gayle, the 32-year-old Jamaican opener, who made international comeback last month after getting over a prolonged standoff with the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 Cricket Board (WICB), has not donned Whites since December 2010. His absence
over the past year-and-a-half has left a huge void at the top of the order.
In the absence of Gayle, the WICB selectors tried five different Test openers but all of them failed to set a consistent opening partnership. The different combinations tried in the last 31 innings, over the past 18 months, could
manage only three half-century partnerships between them, hence prompting the board to look back to the explosive Jamaican run machine. The figures have been even worse this year, where the opening partnerships average 14.45.
On the other side of the coin, Gayle boosts an impressive record against the Black Caps. His Test batting average of 74.54 against the Kiwis is the highest against any country.
Though excited at Chris Gayle’s return at the top of the order, the home skipper has urged the middle order to take the onus of stabilizing the Test innings.
“…at the end of the day you've still got to go out there and put the performance out there in the middle, because we've got a good side on paper but you still have to go out there and do the business,” insisted the St Lucia all-rounder.
Tags: