Cricket: Gayle set for Somerset stint

LONDON: Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle is to play for Somerset in this season’s domestic Twenty20 competition, said the English county. The opening batsman is one of the most powerful hitters in the game and has proved especially adept in cricket’s shortest format, with his 117 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2007 the highest individual score in all Twenty20 internationals. The 32-year-old is set to fill the gap caused by the absence of West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who will be away on international duty when Somerset look to go one better after losing last season’s Twenty20 final to Leicestershire. Gayle said, “I’m delighted to be heading to Somerset this summer, it’s a great club and hopefully I can make a key contribution to their campaign.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2012.