Jamaica rift over Gayle

KINGSTON – The recent decision by Jamaica’s selectors to ignore West Indies captain Chris Gayle for the captaincy of the national team could have caused a split in the side.Jamaica Cricket Association president Paul Campbell said he had gathered from players that the squad had not been totally united during the recently concluded Caribbean Twenty20 Trophy in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.“That is what I am picking up that there were some issues around that [captaincy],” Campbell said here on a local radio station.“I could not say that was the main issue or the only issue but I have been told by one or two players that there were two teams playing there. That’s their interpretation . . . that is the players speaking.”Campbell was speaking in the aftermath of Jamaica’s failed campaign in the inaugural Caribbean Twenty20 held last month.Hot favouritesStarting the tournament as one of the hot favourites, they were knocked out by Barbados at the semi-final stage after suffering a six-wicket loss at the Queen’s Park Oval.Jamaica then flopped in the third place playoff, crashing to a ten-wicket defeat to Trinidad and Tobago.The build-up to the tournament was shrouded in controversy as Jamaica’s selectors opted for Tamar Lambert over Gayle to lead the side.Nehemiah Perry, the former West Indies off-spinner, stepped aside as chairman of selectors following the move.No plansJCA cricket operations officer Courtney Francis said there were no immediate plans, however, to launch an enquiry into the team’s performance.“It’s mandatory that after every tour there is a debriefing after which, if needed there will be an investigation,” he noted.The Caribbean Twenty20 was won by Guyana who beat Barbados by a single wicket with a ball to spare in a thrilling final. (CMC)