LONDON, CMC – Somerset are mulling over passing on West Indies superstar Chris Gayle for this summer’s T20 Blast, because of his unavailability for the entire campaign.
In the past two seasons, the left-handed Gayle has turned out for Somerset but only in a handful of games and Somerset’s Director of Cricket, Matthew Maynard, said the county were considering signing a player who could be play the whole tournament.
“He’s here for a period and then we miss him and it leaves a big hole in our team,” Maynard explained.
“In an ideal situation, we’d like to have an overseas player for the duration of the T20 competition and try and keep that settled side.”
Gayle has been outstanding on and off the field in his brief stints at Somerset. In 2015, he smashed 328 runs in just three outings with scores of 92 against Essex, an astonishing unbeaten 151 against Kent, and an unbeaten 85 against Hampshire.
Last season, the left-handed Jamaican finished with 177 runs from five innings, at an average of 35.
Once he departed last season, however, Somerset struggled and finished bottom of their group with just three wins from 14 games.
Gayle is one of the most sought-after T20 batsmen in the modern game, and plies his trade in all the major leagues across the globe.
The T20 Blast runs from July 7 to September 2 this year and will clash with the Caribbean Premier League, where Gayle is one of the major attractions.