COLOMBO, (Reuters) – West Indies’ opening batsman Chris Gayle rates the bowling of fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt and reckons the six-times Olympic gold medallist has what it takes to excel at the game. The sprinter expressed his desire to repackage himself as a big-hitting cricketer in Australia’s Big Bash League following an invitation by Shane Warne after he repeated his Beijing 2008 feat with three more golds at this year’s London Games.
Australian spin great Warne contacted Bolt about joining him at the Melbourne Stars club in the Twenty20 league in December.
“He wouldn’t embarrass himself. In a charity game, he actually played against me and almost knocked my head off with a good competitive bouncer,” Gayle told reporters as his team started training for the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
“It is nothing to take lightly. I don’t see anything wrong,” added foremr West Indies captain Gayle, who communicates on a daily basis with Bolt.
The sprinter grew up playing street cricket and soccer in Jamaica and during the London Games said he wanted a trial at English Premier League giants Manchester United.
West Indies start their World Cup campaign against Australia on Sept. 22.
