Windies captain Gayle in hot water

Elmo Rodrigopulle from West Indies

Chrys Gayle, appointed captain of West Indies for the Two Test Digecel series against Sri Lanka, with the First Test beginning on March 22, is in hot water. The reason being that he has been critical of the umpiring in which his side Jamaica lost crucial Carid Beer Series match against Barbados recently.

Gayle who is expected to lead a cricketing backlash against Sri Lanka in the Two Test series against Sri Lanka had called the decisions made by umpire Dalton Reid of Barbados as 'terrible', while not sparing the other umpire Terrence of Trinidad and Tobago.

Apparently what led to Gayle's outburst was after his team Jamaica lost a vital match by 17 runs to Barbados.

Hartley Reid, the boss of the Regional Umpires Association has asked the West Indies Cricket Board to take some action against Gayle.

According to Reid, Gayle's comments are punishable by the laws of cricket and said Gayle should face the consequences.

'It is written clearly that players and officials may not be critical of the umpire, the match referees, nothing like that but Gayle does as he likes', Reid had said on CMC's Prime Timex Caribbean Television news after the incident. Reid is hopeful that the WICB does something with Gayle. Continuing Reid had said that Gayle was out of line in his comments, especially naming an official in his charge against the umpiring.

'Umpires are not infalliable. They make mistakes. It's unfortunate that if an umpire makes a mistake, hard luck. But you play. He actually called Dalton Holder's name, that is another issue so we are waiting to see what the WICB is going to do with their captain', said Reid.

According to Gayle, Holder was really, really terrible and it can't continue like this, Gayle is alleged to have said. With Two important Tests against Sri Lanka, with the First starting on Saturday, it would be interesting to see how the WICB would go on the matter. Recently in the Test series between Australia and India, famed West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor made mistakes and was sent back in shame. It was not done.

In the Bucknor incident, the International Cricket Council and Cricket Australia, bent backwards to please the Indians and prevent them from pulling out of the series, a threat the Indians promised to make a reality if Bucknor was not withdrawn.

Gayle is a batsman Windies cricket cannot afford to lose. With his belligerent batting, he could lead the Windies to match winning totals. Probably Gayle would be reprimindaded.