PHOTO: AFP
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has urged Cricket Australia to propose a worldwide ban on former West Indian captain Chris Gayle over an attempt to flirt with an Australian presenter on live TV.
Gayle, who was fined $7,000 by Melbourne Renegades for the incident, asked Ten Network reporter Mel McLaughlin out for a drink during an interview with the burly West Indian after he blasted 41 runs off 15 balls in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL).
Gayle fined $7,000 for 'out of line' TV chat-up
The 72-year-old said that banning Gayle from taking part in the Big Bash League (BBL) is not enough, and Cricket Australia should take more measures to ensure that the message is being heard all over the cricket world.
“I wouldn’t have a problem if Cricket Australia said to the clubs, ‘he’s never to be contracted again in this country’,” said Chappell.“And I also wouldn’t have a problem if Cricket Australia said to the ICC, ‘what we’re doing should be worldwide’.
“I wouldn’t have a problem if it was tabled at an ICC meeting that Cricket Australia said, ‘this is what we’re doing and we would recommend that everybody else do the same’.” Chappell concluded.
Gayle defends ‘inappropriate’ comments to reporter as ‘joke’
Live on air, Gayle — who later insisted he was just joking — said he was happy to be interviewed by McLaughlin “just to see your eyes for the first time”.
“Nice, so hopefully we can win this game and we can have a drink after,” he said.
“Don’t blush baby,” the Jamaican added, prompting the unimpressed McLaughlin to shake her head and reply, “I’m not blushing.”
“Sorry,” added Gayle, breaking into a big laugh.
Journalist caught 'watching porn' in media box during Melbourne Test
The former Australian great also went on to add that the left-handed batsmen’s behaviour was not a one-off case. “If it was a one-off thing, yeah, slap him with a $10,000 fine and say ‘mate, don’t do it again’,” said Chappell. “But every woman I spoke to [about Gayle] who’s working at the cricket, you got the same answer from”
The fiery West Indian will feature in a BBL match on Saturday, when two sides from Melbourne will go head to head in a much awaited derby game.
The article originally appeared on Guardian
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