Chris Gayle fires a parting shot to all ‘the haters’
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West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has criticised ‘two-faced’ cricketers in a detailed Instagram post prior to his departure from Australia.
The 36-year-old, who equalled a Twenty20 record with an incredible 12-ball half-century for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League on Monday night, attracted the headlines for all the wrong reasons earlier in the tournament.
• ‘Don’t blush baby’: Chris Gayle swings and misses
• Mel McLaughlin breaks her silence
• ‘Chris Gayle should be sacked’
• Renegades out of Big Bash despite Gayle heroics
Gayle’s now infamous request to take Network Ten sports reporter Mel McLaughlin out for a drink – and his cringeworthy and inappropriate follow-up of ‘don’t blush, baby’ – saw him fined $10,000 by the Renegades.
The Gayle interview for those who missed it. Ugh. #BBL05 pic.twitter.com/HX9JgK5PwB
— Steve Smith (@stevesmithffx) January 4, 2016
He offered a half-hearted apology one day later but has remained silent since, instead hoping to let his cricket do the talking. Although that was the case on Monday, his brutal 56 wasn’t enough to book the Renegades a spot in the Big Bash League finals.
As a result, Gayle is heading home, but not before creating more controversy and hinting that he had played his last match on our shores – a statement that he contradicted in a media release from the Melbourne Renegades.
In a post that accompanied a photo of him raising his bat for the West Indies, Gayle wrote: “Thank you Renegades and the entire Australia for the love & support.
A section of Gayle’s lengthy Instagram post. Photo: Instagram
“Ppl (sic) think I may have played my last innings in Aus but my memory with the fans will live on forever!!
“I build leagues around the world and Big Bash is one of them.
“The real people who stand by Gayle worldwide through the so call (sic) BS against me in the media, thank you.
“To the media, thank you all so! (sic). The haters, I thank you even more.”
Then, like a Gayle innings, he started to warm up and fire shots.
Chris Gayle and Andrew Flintoff in happier times. Photo: Getty
Responding to Gayle’s interview with McLaughlin, former England captain and television personality Andrew Flintoff tweeted: “Big fan of @henrygayle but made himself look a bit of a chop there.”
Ex-Australia opener Chris Rogers also criticised Gayle and said he was a bad influence on young players during their time together at the Sydney Thunder, while another retired Aussie, Shane Watson, said that sort of inappropriate behaviour was expected when it came to Gayle.
And while Gayle did not refer to any of them by name, there was little doubt about who his comments were directed at – after slamming the cricket community.
“I think a lot of past and present cricketers who smile in front (of) my face could’ve have (sic) there (say) in the public when my so call (sic) issue was going on… but y’all don’t have the balls to stand firm when it matters,” he added.
“Yet when you see me you’re like, Chris that’s BS against you, it was blown out of proportion…don’t tell me, tell the media and the public!
“The past cricketer who say (sic) I make myself look like a chop, the other who claim I was no good to the youngsters while playing for the Thunder, the next one who said he expect that behavior (sic) from Chris….y’all can kiss my ‘Black Rass’.”
Gayle later posted on Twitter: “I wish I could throw a party at my expense for the fans and smash a few (beers) bfore (sic) leave Oz.”