By Richard Bryan, Freelance Writer
Gayle follows one of his sixes during his 77 not out against the UWI team yesterday at Alpart.
- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
MANDEVILLE, Manchester:
CHRIS GAYLE delivered with the ball, but more tellingly with the bat to spur Jamaica to a resounding 10-wicket win over the UWI select team at Alpart, St. Elizabeth yesterday.
The tall left-hander's three wickets for 35 off nine overs played a handy part in restricting the University to 112 all out in 38.3 overs but it was a typically explosive innings of 77 from just 47 balls which provided the fillip as well as the entertainment for the small crowd on hand.
He struck 12 fours and three disdainful sixes and reached his 50 off only 36 balls. His opening partner, Leon Garrick, was unbeaten on 27 as UWI's small total was overhauled in a mere 16.2 overs.
Captain Robert Samuels disappointed the home crowd by inserting the opposition after winning the toss but the decision appeared justified by the comprehensive margin and the need to avoid any scares on a tricky wicket.
The University team, as expected, found the pace of Darren Powell and Jermaine Lawson too hot to handle on the bouncy Alpart surface and suffered pain while batting for the most part at a snail's pace.
Nicolas Austin faced 14 balls before he was snapped up for a duck in the slips. Powell then had Jason Haynes caught behind for five to make the score 10-2 in the seventh over.
In the 15th over, Lawson forced Jason Parris to retire hurt after landing a vicious knock to his chin with a ball that took off from a good length.
The very next ball the UWI team was dealt another blow as Daryl Balbolin move across his stumps to Lawson and was adjudged leg before.
Enter Gayle from the media centre end and, like he did when he came on to bowl against St. Vincent and the Grenadines, he got a wicket with his first ball.
Maurice Clarke, who after a few spanking off-drives had forced captain Robert Samuels to end Laurie Williams' spell after just three overs, chipped and got a leading edge that flew comfortably to Gayle.
The Jamaican pair of Llewellyn Meggs (17) and Coley (13) briefly breathed life into the UWI innings with a partnership of 28, but once Gareth Breese took a smart catch at cover to dismiss Coley to give Gayle with his second wicket, the rest of the batting folded.
Gayle's onslaught with the bat appeared to have been mainly aimed at his former youth cricket colleague, fast bowler Andrew Richardson, whom he had yorked for a duck earlier on.
The two repeatedly exchanged words and stares but the left-hander's bat did the damage, smashing the former West Indies youth pacer for two sixes and three fours.
Despite having Gayle dropped on 44 by Sean Graham at square leg after top edging a bouncer and then having him caught off a no ball at 51, Richardson's figures of seven over for 42 runs told the tale.
SCOREBOARD
UWI innings
J. Haynes c wk Hibbert D Powell 5
N. Austin c Robert Samuels b JLawson 0
J. Parris retired hurt 18
M. Clarke c&b C Gayle 26
D. Balgobin lbw Lawson 0
L. Meggs c Hinds b G Breese 17
A. Coley c Breese b Gayle 13
D. Cumberbatch run-out 2
A. Richardson b Gayle 0
I. Easahak b Powell 6
S. Phillip not out 2
Extras: (b5, w13, nb5) 23
Total: (for nine wkts in 38.3 overs) 112
Fall: 1-8, 2-10, 3-43, 4-59, 5-87, 6-89, 7-89, 8-100, 9-112
Bowling: D. Powell 6.3-1-12-2, Lawson 7-0-15-2, Williams 6-0-33-0, Breese 10-4-12-2, Gayle 9-2-35-3.
Jamaica innings
L. Garrick not out 27
C. Gayle not out 77
Extras: (lb2, w6, nb3) 11
Total: (without loss off 16. 2 overs) 115
Bowling: Richardson 7-0-42-0, Phillip 2-0-17-0, Easahak 3-0-24-0, Balgobin 3-0-21-0, Cumberbatch 1.2-0-9-0.
