(Reuters) – Flamboyant opener Chris Gayle has scrapped his deal with English county Somerset to make himself available for West Indies after ending his year-long dispute with the cricket board.
Gayle has not been part of the West Indies team since his attack on the board in a radio interview in April last year and was not picked in the test squad for the three-match series against England starting next month.
The 32-year-old left-hander, currently playing for the Bangalore franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL), is now eyeing a place in the three one-dayers and a Twenty20 international that follow the England tests.
“I have written to Somerset CC and advised them that I will not be honouring the commitment I made to them when I signed a contract with them for the 2012 Friends Provident Championship,” Gayle said in a statement.
“I have now satisfied all of the requests of the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) and their selection panel… and to whom I reiterated previous assurances given to the board regarding my availability.
“So that there is no doubt, I confirmed to the selectors that I was available for West Indies duty in all forms of cricket, immediately following the conclusion of my contractual obligations to my IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore.”
