Gayle fails to deliver

Chris Gayle’s glorious return to limited overs international cricket came to a premature end of Sunday when Steven Finn nicked him for just two runs at the start of his t20I innings for the West Indies.

The right-hander was back in the top order for the tourists after over a year of exile due to differences with selectors and his presence affected Betfair England cricket betting odds.

His inclusion in the squad for June’s short-form tour of England came as a great surprise to West Indies fans, many of who expected their side’s fortunes to improve on the back of his returned presence.

But Gayle’s quick exit sadly confirmed that it will take a lot more than one man to rejuvenate this side.

Playing in his first t20I for over two years, Gayle swung at a short Finn delivery to top edge it to fine leg, where Jonny Bairstow scrambled to the boundary to catch.

Earlier that morning former England captain Nasser Hussain pinpointed England’s best chance of nicking Gayle was from the short ball, and Finn delivered in only the third over of a match as England went on to win by seven wickets.

The ease of which Finn got his man will be of great concern to West Indies’ backroom staff.

Gayle will have come into the game full of confidence from his IPL exploits with the Delhi Daredevils where he was one of the star men, yet this eagerness to get off the mark at Trent Bridge cost him and his side dearly.

The man West Indians thought they could rely upon let them down against England, and served not as a test for Finn and co. but rather an example of how an over-hyped return does not always generate results.

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