Chris Gayle has a batting technique similar to that of a drunken Canadian woodchopper. He looks as fazed playing international cricket as he would be smoking a fat one on a beach in Kingston. He bowls off spin, off two steps, at the death, with sunglasses on, at night. He is one cool mother-fucking cat (always wanted to say that).
I’m writing this blog because this cat just made 117 off 57 balls. And as amazing as this is, in this tournament someone may make more runs off less balls, that is 20 20 cricket. With Gayle its not about the results, its about the process. He bats more like a number 11 than an opener.
Once I saw him get off the mark in a test match with a scoop through mid off, the bowler was Glenn McGrath. McGrath spent the next 30 seconds shaking his head.
His strike rate is far less than the other explosive batsmen of our times, Gilchrist (96) and Afridi (109)and his batting average is less than 40, but we don’t care. He entertains us.
Even when he is carving up your team, as much as you want him out, there is a part of you that says, just 5 more minutes mum, five more minutes, hey i said 5 more minutes biach, don’t make me get a hammer.
One backing away slog to mid wicket, followed by forehand type slap over mid off. Some times I get more excited when he swipes and misses. Sometimes swings his bat so hard you think he might hurt himself.
His batting is part car crash, part art installation.
He is a product of our times. In the old days he wouldn’t haven’t made it out of the red stripe competition, but West Indian cricket is so bad he is probably their most important player at the moment.
He does one thing in world cricket that nearly all players can’t do, he wins cricket matches. And for a batsman, that is extremely rare.
You need to embrace players like Gayle, because the Proboters are taking over. And as much as I can see the skill in a Probot cover drive, id prefer a wild swing and miss from Gayle anyday.
Long live the irresponsible attacking cricketer.
