BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies captain Chris Gayle has made light of the on-field spats which marred the third and final Test at Kensington Oval this week.
South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn was involved in a spitting incident with Sulieman Benn on the third day of the Test on Monday while Windies speedster Kemar Roach was involved in an ugly exchange with Jacques Kallis as the match wound to close before lunch on the fourth day.
“That’s typically cricket. A fast bowler gives a batsman something stiff and then the batter is going to react in some sort of way,” Gayle told reporters.
“That is cricket generally but it wasn’t anything to take out of proportion. If anything needs to be dealt with I am sure the matchreferee and the on field umpires will actually take that into play.”
The first incident occurred when Steyn appeared to spit in Benn’s direction after being bowled by Roach just before lunch on the third day on Monday.
Roach and Kallis then clashed in mid-pitch after the veteran right-handed batsman had been hit subjected to a few short deliveries, one of which struck him on the helmet.
So ill-tempered was the exchange, umpires Simon Taufel and Steve Davis were forced to intervene.
Gayle said while the incidents were regrettable, they were sometimes all part of the game.
“The spirit and sportsmanship was good leading up to this match. It’s just unfortunate in the end where we had a bit of a boil up,” said the Jamaican.
“It is cricket and you have to be hostile sometimes. If you can give it out then you should take it. That’s how I look at it.”
The ICC is yet to make a statement on either incident.
