ALL BUT A FEW churlish West Indians longed for Chris Gayle to once more power up all his cylinders; they had misfired for too long. The cricket world shared the hope for there is no more spectacular sight than Gayle at maximum capacity.
His engine understandably took a little time to warm up against Zimbabwe yesterday. When he turned the key for his first ball, the only response was an agonizing wait while TV umpire Ranmore Martinez reviewed Steve Davis’ not out decision on an lbw off Tinashi Panyangara.
Hawkeye showed the ball clipping the top of middle and, on the umpire’s call, the original verdict stood. Success and failure often depend on such slim margins.
By the time Gayle’s machine was fully functioning, the sixes repeatedly scattered the spectators in the stands at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
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